


Segretario (KHR Fan-fiction)

by arxanna



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: F/M, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:01:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 51
Words: 109,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23463619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arxanna/pseuds/arxanna
Summary: You have been going through lots of job interviews and none of them is a success. That is when you found a job that is said to be the most challenging one with a higher income. What will be your choice?(TYL Sawada Tsunayoshi x [Reader] )*Prequel to Donna*KHR belongs to Amano Akira*Pictures are not mine unless stated
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Candidate

I was nothing but an average girl.

I lost my father and all I had was my mother.

With only two women in a small family, it was easy for bad people to take advantage of us. I wanted to protect my mother as she had been working hard to make sure that I had a proper education. I only managed to graduate from high school at the age of eighteen and I was not planning to enter college or universities. 

That was because my mother suddenly fell ill and I had to work some part-time jobs to earn some money. The money I earned will go straight to my mother's medical fees. Part-time jobs were not enough and I was trying my best to get a permanent job. 

Here was the problem.

Some big companies were looking for new people with 'nonsense' years of working experience when they even barely to start learning any skills. The companies were looking for a person with 22 years of experience. 

They were ridiculously looking for someone who started to work when they were a baby or they were looking for a senior citizen around the age of fifties.

Also, they tend to look for prettier ladies to work in big companies, not a tom-boyish or a poor girl like me. Were they hiring these materialistic young ladies for their look or their skills? 

Office works did not suit me well. I decided to try to get some full-time jobs from restaurants as a waitress, or bartenders as I heard rumours that bartenders get higher pays during the night time. 

I was entering one of the cafes and asked for a job. The owner of the cafe came in and asking for my identification card. I gave it to him and he kept on staring at the photo of myself, then he looked at me. I smiled the best I could.

"Sorry, I'm not hiring you," the cafe owner passed my card back to me and I was stunned by his answer.

"What? What do you mean you're not hiring me?"

"Your photo on that card shows that you're a girl but you look so much like a boy. I can't possibly have someone like you to work in my cafe."

"Wait for a second," I narrowed both of my eyes at him. "Are you questioning my gender?"

"N-No, I didn't mean that-"

"Fine! Next time, just say that you're looking for pure looking ladies for your freaking vacancy!"

I stormed out of the cafe with anger and I could not believe someone like that insensitive man would have said such a thing. 

I was busy cursing that I ended up bumping into someone by accident. A Chinese girl with her white uniform waitress fell onto the ground and the metal container dropped as well, making a loud clunking sound. I blinked my eyes so hard, cursing myself for causing someone to fall. I immediately pulled her up and I kept on bowing at her to apologise.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you around! Are you hurt somewhere? Do you need a doctor??"

"Ah, it's totally fine," the Chinese girl smiled sheepishly and she was dusting off her uniform, picking up the empty metal container. "It is just an accident, so no one is to blame."

"I-I see..." I smiled nervously at her and I went on to check the time on my watch. "Oh, crap! I'm late for visiting hours!"

"Visiting hours? Are you going to the hospital?" she asked.

"Yes, yes! I need to see my sick mother and I'm supposed to buy some food for her!" I screeched and I had no idea which way to go to the hospital. The Chinese girl suddenly gasped and she grabbed my hand in sudden.

"Come with me! I know the shortcut to that hospital!"

Without waiting, she pulled my hand and we ran together as fast as possible. When she said shortcut, it was just the longest shortcut I had ever ventured. Going down the hills, going around the park, crossing some busy roads, climbing up the stairs within 250 metres long-

That was the most tiring day I had ever had.

* * *

I finally arrived at the hospital on time but I did not bring any food for my mother. The Chinese girl was kind enough to buy some ramen for me and my mother as a treat. As soon my mother had her meals and took some rest, I left the room and sat on the bench just beside the Chinese girl. She was wiping off her sweat from her forehead. I find out that she was working in the restaurant, delivering the food to customers.

"Um, thanks for helping me," I casually talked to her. 

"No problem. I am so glad to help someone in need," she simply smiled at me. I was amazed that she could speak Japanese well.

"How do you know that I am on my way to this hospital?" I asked curiously.

"Ah, it is the nearest hospital and you cannot be possibly going that far. Besides, Uncle Kawahira has sprained his ankle so bad and he needs to be hospitalised. He cannot eat other food besides from ramen," she quickly answered.

"So, he's some sort of ramen lover?"

"He is the most loyal customer at the place I am working at. I must make sure that I can deliver in time to avoid the noodles becoming soggy."

"You're so young. Why are you working at a restaurant?"

"Oh, I need some money to pay for my tuition fees. I am currently studying at university."

I was surprised by her statement. I did hear that some youngsters were willing to work hard to pay off their school fees without depending on scholarships or loans. I did it for my mother's medical fees. There was no way I could keep some for myself to go to higher institutions.

"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself! My name is I-Pin. What is your name?"

"Hello, I-Pin. My name is [Full Name]. Just call me [Name]."

" _Ni hao_ , [Name]!" she held out her hand and I went on to shake her hand. "You look like you're about my age. Are you studying?"

"No, I'm not studying in any universities. I don't have enough money to pursue my studies. All my part-time jobs' earnings are enough for me and my mother's medical fees."

"What a waste. You can try to get some scholarships or loans if you want."

"Nah, I don't trust them. They only give it to the ones who are rich or famous people."

"I see, but are you sure that you can handle many part-time jobs? The money you earned is not going to be enough."

"That's exactly why I am looking for a permanent job with a reasonable salary," I sighed. "Not anyone wanted to take in a tom-boyish girl like me."

"Ah, perhaps...if you want this job."

"What do you mean?"

I-Pin clapped her hands and her smile brightened. She quickly took out her phone and dialled the number, waiting for someone to pick up her call.

"Hello, I-Pin. Are you done with your work?" I heard a certain lazy voice coming from her phone.

"Yes, I am. Lambo, is Sawada-san still at his house?"

"Well, he's still around. He will be going somewhere else within two hours by now. Do you want to see him?"

"Yes, yes! I've found someone! I'll be on my way to Sawada-san's house!"

I-Pin ended her call and she stood in front of me. I could see that such hopeful eyes from her.

"Come on, [Name]! I have something to show you!"

"S-show me what?? And who is that Sawada-san you're talking about??"

"You'll know soon."

* * *

I-Pin was afraid that she could not make it go to that certain Sawada's house, so I had to meet him with a T-shirt and baggy pants I was wearing. I even tidied up my short hair and making sure that my face was clean, no dirt blotches. 

I imagined him as a man in his early 30's who had just started their business. I had seen these people before and only some of them were quite successful.

We arrived at a two-storey house with the nameplate written as 'Sawada' and I saw a man with short, spiky black hair standing outside the house. Before we could even go nearer, both of his eyes were opened and he was giving an intimidating look at me. 

I fought against many boys before and this was the first time I felt afraid.

"Hello, Hibari-san. Is Sawada-san in his house?" I-Pin politely asked and I find it hard to believe that she was not afraid of this man.

"He's in his room," Hibari answered and just pointing above the house with his thumb. "He is wondering why you want to see him."

We almost stepping into his house as I grabbed her arm to stop her for a moment.

"H-hey, I-Pin. Are you sure it's alright for me to come here?"

"Why not?"

"Well, that man outside the house...he doesn't look friendly to me. He looks like he is going to murder me anytime."

"Ah, don't worry about him. He's always like that, "I-Pin laughed. "Trust me. He's a good guy."

"Easier to say that," I mumbled quietly.

She opened the door and the one who came to welcome us was a teenage boy with curly black hair and he was wearing a cow-print shirt with a black suit. He gave a charming smile to us although I could see that he was smiling at me.

"I-Pin, you're bringing a cute girl to the young Vongola's house?"

"Yes, I bring her here to see Sawada-san. Didn't he say he wants to look for someone?"

"Oh, I get it," the teenage boy was taking his time to look at me before he spoke. "I don't see any reason why young Vongola would reject this perfect candidate."

"W-wait, what candidate??"

Before that boy could answer my question, there were more men in black suits coming down from the stairs. They were tall and their faces were intimidating. I quickly backed away from them and I stood right at the door. I kept on thinking that I was being chased by the loan sharks. 

The one with short black hair and wearing a blue shirt looked friendly to me. The one with white hair and wearing a yellow shirt looked like he was looking for a fight. And the one with silver hair, wearing a red shirt was staring at me with his deadly-looking green eyes. I gulped a little and I had forgotten the reason why I was in this house.

"So, you must be the possible candidate for the Tenth, aren't you?" the silver-haired asked coldly.

"I-I have no idea what are you talking about..." I nervously responded to his question.

"You don't even know why are you here?"

"I-I don't know! All I know is that I-Pin brings me all the way here just to meet someone named Sawada!"

"Oi, octopus head, you're scaring that poor girl off," the one with yellow shirt said loudly.

"Yeah, he's right. She doesn't even know why she is here either," the one with a blue shirt chuckled lightly.

"Then what do you expect me to do?" the silver-haired glared at them. "What if she is the spy for the enemies??"

They looked like they were about to argue and I had the bad feeling about it.

Then, I heard another voice coming from the stairs.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Hayato. I sense no evil intention from this young lady."

A certain brunet came down from the stairs and among all these guys, he had the kindest look I had ever seen. The warmth aura came from his presence and I could not help myself but stare at him. He smiled warmly at me before he introduced himself.

"Good afternoon. My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi. It is a pleasure to meet you here."


	2. Decision

I felt like I was a fangirl being surrounded by five hot guys who had finished performing their band performance. I admitted, all of them were handsome (Lambo was cuter than handsome) and at the same time, deadly.

I-Pin suddenly brought me to someone's house and they went on rambling, saying that I was that brunet named Sawada Tsunayoshi's perfect candidate.

They better not tell me that I would be his perfect wife or I would run away without thinking twice. 

"Is there anything wrong, miss?" the brunet asked with concern. I was speechless for a long time and currently rearranging some words in my brain.

"I...have no idea what is going on. All I know is that I-Pin brought me here to see someone named Sawada. And all of a sudden, you went on and talk about me as the 'perfect candidate'. What is all about?"

"I see," the brunet raised his eyebrow and he turned to look at the Chinese girl. "I-Pin, did you forget to tell her the reason why you bring her to my house?"

"Ah, I'm so sorry, Sawada-san!" I-Pin bowed with an apology. "I heard that she wanted to find a job and you also happened to look for someone to fill the position. So I dragged her without explaining everything."

"Wow, no wonder she looks completely confused!" the one with a blue shirt laughed. "Please forgive us. We did not know that we make you feel uncomfortable."

"Especially when that octopus head keeps on glaring at you. He's always like that when a certain stranger is coming to approach Sawada," the one with yellow shirt shot a grin at the silver-haired who cleared his throat, reminding him not to irritate him further.

"I'm sorry about that. As you're deeply clueless, I will tell you the whole story, miss-"

"Um, my name is [Full Name]. Sorry for not introducing earlier." 

"It's fine, miss [Last Name]," said the brunet with his gentle tone. "Please have a seat while I get some tea for you."

I slowly nodded and I walked straight to the living hall. I sat down and I waited for him to get the tea. He returned and sat down opposite me, poured out some tea and passed it to me. It was not polite to not drink when it was offered, so I took it and sip the tea. He took a sip of his tea as well before he started to talk. 

"I am currently looking for someone to fill the position as the secretary of my company. I received lots of response from a large number of hopeful applicants for this position. Just like any other job, they will need to go through a serious interview. Even with their best certificates, I find none of them suits this job well."

I raised my eyebrow and I was wondering who exactly he was looking for. With this handsome brunet here, the applicants must have been a bunch of ladies or young women who badly wanted to be his secretary. I placed the tea on the table and I looked at his calm-looking face.

"What kind of a person you're looking for, Sawada-san?"

"Please, just call me Tsuna," the brunet added. "I am looking for someone who can do multitasking work and have lots of courage to face many dangers."

"Wait, wait..." I interrupted. "What courage you're talking about? I mean, you want me to deal with hard-headed clients of yours?"

"I can tell you much further if you are interested to take this job," he smirked. "But first, why are you are looking for a permanent job?"

"Uh...so that I can earn more money to pay for my mother's medical bills."

"I see. I can tell that you would fit to fill this position."

I felt like I was being forced to accept this mysterious job. It did not look like a normal company to me at all.

There must be something. I could have rejected it but with my mother's condition, I should give it a try. 

"Then...how much you're going to pay me if I take this job?"

The brunet spoke out with a light voice and it took me the best effort to understand what he was saying.

"That one-year income is enough for you to buy two units of skyscraper buildings. Are you interested, miss [Last Name]?"

I almost dropped the cup and my eyes went as wide as the tennis balls. That insane amount was already paying off all my mother's medical bills!

"...skyscraper building is a little going too far, right?" I asked silently.

"It's just an example, but it is enough to pay off your mother's medical bills. You also can buy a house with the remaining balance."

I guess it was worth to work as his secretary. I was about to agree when Tsuna suddenly shot a serious look at me.

"However, I must warn you before you can fill this position."

"What is it?" 

"Once you accept this position, you will no longer be as yourself."

"...huh?"

"You will get a new identity. Which means you are not allowed to see your mother, your relatives or any of your friends."

"I-I'm not allowed to see my mother...even when she is sick?"

"Yes. You will have no choice. For this job, there are sacrifices to make."

Was this a joke? For the sake of a job with insane pay, I have to leave my mother behind? The only family member I had who had been raising me all these years? If I did it, what kind of daughter I am?

"I'm sorry, Sawada Tsunayoshi. I can't accept this job."

"Hm? Why is that so?"

"I have a sick mother to take care of. I can't afford to see her suffering the pain alone. She is the only family I had after my father died. It has been hard to do many part-time jobs to pay the medical bills but I was happy to be at her side. So, I can't accept it. You'll have to find someone else instead."

I stood up and bowed before the brunet could say anything. I was about to leave his house when he suddenly called out to me.

"Miss [Last Name]. If you still want this job, you know where to find me. I'll be waiting for you."

* * *

It was already a week after I met with Tsuna. He should have been looking for someone else for his available position. People must have been calling me a fool for missing this great opportunity.

They did not understand at all. Tsuna said that once I took that job he offered, I was not allowed to meet my mother or anyone else. I felt like a soldier leaving their family behind.

I could not do that. This was my sick mother I was thinking about.

I went to the nearest bank to check my account balance since I was supposed to pay the next medical bill. I noticed that the amount was lesser than it should be. One of my colleagues came to me with her worried look. She told me that two part-time jobs we were working for were out of business and those two bosses were being chased by the loan sharks. 

At the same time, my remaining part-time jobs were retrenched. I was one of those unfortunate workers and I received the compensations from them. It was only enough to pay off a month's medical bill. I even asked the hospital staff if they could let my sick mother stay but they refused. If I could not pay the bills, my mother had to return home. 

Why was this happening to me?

I took a seat outside my mother's ward and I deeply sighed.

If I could find a permanent job fast, I would not have to worry further. My mother could stay at the hospital. I did talk to her about Tsuna's job offer and she wanted me to accept it if I want. She knew how much I had done for her and she wanted to make sure that I made the right choice. She would not blame me if I was away for work, leaving her behind.

I really could not do it.

"Oi, [Last Name]!! We've finally found you!"

I jerked my head up and I saw two guys approaching me with their fierce look. I knew who were they. One of them was about my age and I had been beating him up for trying to take advantage of younger girls at middle school. Looks like he was bringing his supposed older brother to deal with me. 

"What the hell do you want from me? I'm not in a good mood," I glared at them.

"I want payback for what you've done to me and my brother will take care of you!" he slyly smirked and stepped aside for his brother to face me.

"You're the one who had been beating up my little brother, eh? You're so tiny that I could have just snapped you into two," the older one was cracking up his fists and grinned at me.

"Are you an idiot or what? This is the hospital and you can't just fight here," I said with an annoyed tone.

"You can't fight me? Just admit that you're a coward." 

"Coward? The coward one is the one who brings someone else to fight with me." 

"Don't you say that about my little brother," the older snarled and he threw a handful of his fists at me.

I quickly dodged and stood away from him. He did not stop and tried to attack but I kept on dodging his attack, refusing to fight with him. He was enraged and he suddenly grabbed me by my shirt collar. He was about to punch my face when his arm was being held from behind. I peeked behind him and I saw another older man with a muscular body. He was giving a murderous glare at both of the brothers.

"Didn't you hear what this young lady says? No fighting in this hospital," the man said with his serious tone. "You indeed have no shame for picking up a fight with a girl."

He let off the older's arm and pushed him roughly away from me. The two brothers quickly escaped with fear and that man turned to look at me with concern. 

"Um, thanks for helping me, sir..." I bowed to him.

"No problem, miss. I thought you would have to fight him off and you kept on dodging his attacks." 

"I-I don't want to create more mess in this place, especially when my mother and other patients are resting."

"Your mother? Is she staying here?"

We soon ended up talking to each other and he seemed to be a friendly man to me. He was almost reaching the age of fifty but still looking strong. I could see some small streaks of white hair from his blond hair. I told him everything; my life, my mother and the job that Tsuna offered to me. He listened and somewhat was thoughtful to me.

"You know what, young lady...you reminded me of my younger self."

"Your younger self?"

"I have a family. I was married to a woman with the most beautiful heart. And then, we both had a son. He had all his mother's looks, I daresay. At the same time, I was working for someone and my job was pretty tough and dangerous. It was so dangerous that I made my decision to leave my wife and my son behind for many years."

"Why you want to leave them because of your job? I mean, you could have just dropped that and you can spend more time with your family."

"I want to protect them."

"Protect them?"

"I cannot escape from the job I was working on because it's been my duty. My job was placing my family in danger. So, I have to leave to protect them. As long as they were safe, I am fine with it. Despite the issues between me and my son, he understands the reason I did not come home frequently."

I went silent for a while. He did all these for his family. Because of his dangerous job, he had to leave them. As long as they were safe, he could not worry more.

My mother wanted me to make a wise decision, telling me not to always worry about her. She still could take care of herself and I should concentrate on my own life.

I guess I know what to do next. I stood up and I was about to leave the hospital when that man called out to me.

"Where are you going, young lady? Want me to accompany you?"

"Thanks, but I'll go alone. I need to see someone. Thank you for sharing your story life with me, sir. I think I know what to do next."

"Heh, no problem," he winked at me. "I am sure that you'll be doing fine after this."

I smiled back at him and I went out. It was already night and I was not going home yet. The brunet said that he was still waiting for me.

He did not need to wait for me any longer. I went to Tsuna's house and my decision had then changed my life.


	3. Alias

Tsuna was surprised when he saw me standing in front of his house that night. I told him about my decision and he gladly accepted me as his new secretary. As it was already late at night, he let me sleep at his house so that it would be easier for him to bring me to meet his friends. His mother was happy to hear that Tsuna brought a guest to the house and she kindly welcomed me. 

The next morning, I had breakfast with Tsuna and his mother. I barely ate with someone as a family since the last time, I was with my mother before she fell ill. Tsuna and his mother were close as I watched them talking to each other.

I was done eating and both of us left the house, saying goodbye to his mother. We kept on walking until we reached the streets. I was walking behind him while glancing over at the clothes his mother gave to me. She mentioned that all of his old clothes were suitable for me since I was about his size when he was sixteen. I refused and I said that I would rather wear mine but she insisted.

We arrived at a refined tailor shop that was located nearby at the restaurant where I-Pin was working. According to some recommendations from teenage girls, this tailor had a great talent in designing clothes and had a strong sense of fashion. I wonder why Tsuna wanted to bring me to this place.

No way. Was he going to make me start wearing skirts like any other secretaries?

He swung the door open and much to my surprise, he was greeted by a young woman with a bright smile on her face.

"Ah, good morning, Tsuna~!"

"Good morning, Haru," Tsuna greeted back and smiled back at her.

"Are you coming here to order more suits for Gokudera and others? I've done making some for Hibari since he complained that the suits he ordered from another tailor shop had bad quality."

"As soon I've told him that you have the better cloth that suits him well, he decided to come over to your place to order some. He should have come here earlier though."

"Talking about taste," she soon blinked at me with puzzlement. "Oh, who is that cute boy behind you, Tsuna?"

"Um, well..." Tsuna gave a light chuckle and placed his hand on my shoulder. "She's a girl."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she gave a loud shrill and smiled at me. "Hello, is there anything I can help you?"

"Uh, Tsuna brought me to this place, so..."

"Haru, Miss [Last Name] will be working as my secretary and I need your help to make some proper attire for her to wear."

"You finally found a perfect candidate? That's great to hear!" Haru went on to look at me from head to toe. "Hm, you look like about Tsuna's size when he was sixteen. No worries, you have almost the same cutting as Chrome's one. I'm going to let you wear a black suit with a skirt-"

"H-hold on. You're going to make a skirt for me?"

"Of course. Chrome wears a skirt too. Is there anything wrong?"

"I...I really don't mean to offend you but...can I wear pants instead of a skirt?"

"Oh, sure. Is it because you're a tomboy?"

"No, I hate wearing skirts even if I'm a girl."

"I understand. It's a good thing to avoid any perverts peeping under your skirt," Haru winked at me before she turned to look at the brunet. "This might take some time, Tsuna. Why don't you do some other things until she got her suit done?"

"Alright," Tsuna stared at me and smiled. "I'll be back here to fetch you after one hour. Be sure to wear your new attire before we meet my friends."

I nodded my head once and he left the shop. Haru was busy taking measurements of my body size.

I was feeling nothing but awkward because I had been meeting a lot of new people and they treated me nicely. It all started after I accepted Tsuna's job offer and I realise I could not see my mother for a long time. I hope she understood the situation I was facing.

"You're a lucky girl to be chosen by Tsuna as his secretary," Haru chirped while still taking my measurements.

"I-I don't know. All I want is to find a permanent job so that I can pay my mother's medical bill," I answered.

"What happened to your mother?"

"She's sick and she has to stay at the hospital for a long time. All my part-time jobs' earnings were spent on that medication bills, so I can't afford to go to college."

"What about your father?"

"He died when I was young."

"Ah, I'm sorry...I shouldn't ask that."

"Nah, it's alright. I have to act like a boy because with only two women in a family, we are easily getting bullied by other people. I need to be strong to protect my mother."

"You're such a thoughtful child." Haru stood up and started to draw something on a paper. "What do you think of Tsuna?"

"Uh, what?"

"What do you think of him? I just want your opinion."

"He's kind and helpful...and cool."

"I know, right~?" Haru brightly looked at me. "He was cool during our school time. He saved my life when I was drowning in the river and said 'I will save Haru with my dying will!'. What a memory."

"Tsuna used to be like that? That does not look like him," I gave an awkward smile.

"Well, what would you think if I tell you that I used to cosplay as a large ship boat at his house, or a yellow monster back then?" Haru chuckled. "After years of experience, Tsuna is now a mature man and I would not be surprised to see all hopeful young woman wanted to be his secretary."

"I see."

"Still, congratulations on your new job. Tsuna sometimes can be strict but he's nice. I'm sure you'll be doing well."

I merely smiled back at Haru and she resumed to design my suit. After she was done with it, I changed my clothes and it was the first time I saw myself wearing something smart. The black suit with a necktie and along with the black pants, I felt like I was prepared to do an assassination job. My hair was quite short and Haru helped me to give it a style so that I would not look boring. 

After an hour, Tsuna had returned and he was impressed with my new look. From a tomboy wearing a t-shirt plus baggy pants to a smart-looking assassin- no, his new secretary. I wanted to pay for my new clothes but Haru declined my payment, saying that it was a gift to congratulate me. I hesitated and Tsuna said that we would be late to meet his friends. I walked beside him and I tried to act like his new staff. The brunet noticed my weak posture and he gently placed his hand behind my back, straightening the way I stood. I felt like electricity came inside my body and I went stiff when he did it.

I was hoping that he did not notice my awkwardness earlier.

"You need to straighten up your posture so that everyone could see your real confidence as my secretary." 

"Y-yes, I got that..." I even answered with my stuttered voice.

Damn it, why was this happening to me?

It was not a long walk as we arrived at a shrine that was located on the hill. I was wondering if we were about to do some prayer until the brunet went to the side of the stone lamp.

In just a few steps forward and he disappeared! Did my eyes go wrong in sudden? Was that a platform nine and three-quarters style??

"Miss [Last Name], you can come through now."

I could hear his voice and I was thinking that this might the most insane thing I had seen in my life. I slowly walked through the way he went and if I found myself standing behind the stone lamp, I would die of embarrassment.

I continued to walk and everything around me had changed. I was inside the Japanese style room and this left me bewildered. My eyes then fell at Tsuna who was still waiting for me to follow him. I quickly came to him before we proceed to the living hall. Tsuna slides the door open and I saw about seven people were sitting on the floor, waiting for our arrival.

Some of them I knew. Lambo and I-Pin were there too and so do Tsuna's four friends I had met a week ago. However, there was a pretty young woman with long purple hair and a black eyepatch covering her right eye. Was she one of Tsuna's friend as well?

The brunet led me to a spot where I was supposed to sit. I was looking at everyone after I sat down before Tsuna cleared his throat to start speaking.

"As I have mentioned earlier, I gathered all of you here for an important meeting. I am here to introduce a new member who will officially join our family."

I listened and I looked at them with my calm look. Or I was not calm at all. I felt so uneasy that I wanted to run and hide in the washroom.

The brunet introduced each of his friends and I need to start to remember their names. 

Gokudera Hayato, Tsuna's right-hand man, a Storm Guardian and he kept on glaring at me for reason. It was not like I had the intention to kill his boss!

Then, there was Yamamoto Takeshi, a Rain Guardian with a cool smile. If I was not mistaken, he used to be a baseball star I had seen in newspapers.

Sasagawa Ryohei, a Sun Guardian. He looked like an obsessive sports instructor to me and he always said the word 'extreme' at the end of his sentences.

Next was Hibari Kyoya, a Cloud Guardian. His intimidating eyes once again, giving me a chill down at my spine. I would die if his looks could kill.

The teenager with raven black hair was Lambo, a Lightning Guardian. He was the one who called me cute during our first meeting. I appreciated that and I realised that he was the youngest.

I knew who was that Chinese girl. I-Pin also worked for Tsuna for any important missions. She was usually assigned alongside with Lambo.

And finally, the purple-haired woman. Her name was Chrome Dokuro (was that even a name?) and she was a Mist Guardian. I was being told that she sometimes took over Rokudo Mukuro's place whenever he was away. Even if it was not official from anyone else, Tsuna still treated her like his guardian.

The next one was important. Tsuna then turned to look at me and this time, he gave a serious look. I gulped a little as I knew this would be an important matter. 

"[Full Name]. As I have mentioned before, you will be given a new identity once you take this job as my new secretary. You are no longer allowed to meet any of your family members, your friends or any acquaintances. You are now a part of the Vongola Famiglia and every single business you make or seen within the family are a secret to everyone. Once you tell anyone about it, you will be eliminated. Are you still up to accept this job?"

The living hall went eerily silent. They were waiting for my answer. I did say that I would take his job offer until he mentioned that I will be working for a mafia family and I would be killed if I break the code of silence. Even if I was not afraid of danger and death, this was something I could not take lightly. I could reject once again.

But when I thought of my mother after talking with her, she would always be supporting me whenever I was doing. As long as I was safe.

She said that she was grateful to have a thoughtful and protective daughter. 

I was doing this for the sake of my mother.

As soon as I gave my answer, I was no longer [Full Name]. 

I was given an alias name called 'Minoru Ayano'.


	4. Headquarters

I flew from Japan to Italy. I was deeply excited when I finally get to sit on the aeroplane for the first time in my life. I hardly had this chance to travel with aeroplanes since the flight tickets were expensive even when it was only five districts away to fly. 

Once it flew higher above the clouds, I felt a little dizzy and there was a pressure inside my ears. I leaned my head against the couch in front of me and rubbed the temple of my head. Chrome noticed my condition and there was a worried on her face. She placed her hand on my shoulder before she spoke out with her sweet tone.

"Miss Ayano, are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine..." I muttered, still with my head on the couch. "Just a little dizzy..."

"Oh, do you want to sit beside the window? It might help to reduce your dizziness," she offered kindly.

"Thanks, but...I'm fine with my seat. Maybe it'll be over later on..." I answered and I was hoping that I would recover soon before I arrived in Italy. When it just got worse, I headed straight to the bathroom to throw out and it did not happen. 

Even worse, the silver-haired happened to pass by and he saw my current state. 

"It is just a flight and you're already looking sick. How are you supposed to be Tenth's secretary?"

If it wasn't because he was Tsuna's right-hand man, I would have stepped onto his feet right now.

"You don't understand how does it feel for someone who sits in the aeroplane for the first time..."

"Well, I'm not like you. I'm doing fine on my first flight. Besides, if you're always sick every single flight you take, you're not fit to sit at a higher level of the sky," said Gokudera cockily.

"I wonder who is the one have terrible stomachache whenever he sees his sister's face," I rolled my eyes away and he seemed to feel offended.

"How the hell did you know that, woman??" 

"Research."

Both of us were glaring at each other. Among all of Tsuna's guardians (except Mukuro), I could not get along with the silver-haired and Hibari Kyoya. 

Few weeks before we went to Italy, Tsuna's guardians were given some tasks to train me. Sasagawa Ryohei and Yamamoto Takeshi were in charge of training my physical abilities. Chrome Dokuro and that scary skylark were in charge of training me to fight. I heard that Gokudera Hayato was a total genius, so he taught me Italian language and some sort of history about Vongola Famiglia. I never knew that the Italian language was difficult to understand. He was impatient when he taught me and I groaned with annoyance back then.

_"Get these phrases right, woman! Or you might end up using sign languages with those Italians at there!"_

_"...but it's so hard to understand!"_

_"You're lucky that it's Italian instead of German! I can't believe that I have to deal with another clone of a stupid cow."_

_"Hey! I'm not stupid! I'm slow at understanding!"_

As a conclusion, that lesson sometimes ended up badly and I was still learning. 

When Tsuna appeared, Gokudera and I turned away from looking at each other to avoid his suspicion. As he saw how unwell I was, the brunet came to me with his concerned look. He rubbed my back and gave me some pills that could prevent any transportation dizziness. He told me to get some rest while waiting for the plane to land safely in Italy.

Unlike his right-hand man, Tsuna would never mock or laughed at me.

Long hours later, we finally arrived and we made all our way to the Vongola headquarters. It was different from Japan because everything around me was foreign to me. I had been looking at the sceneries and places with my amazed look. My mother would have been delighted if I brought her to Italy for a holiday. 

After going through the thick forest, we reached the main entrance of the headquarters. It was a large building that looked like a thousand-year-old ancient castle. The large gate was open and we were greeted with a large number of men in black. I was walking behind Tsuna and I kept staring at his back, noticing that he had a great posture as a mafia boss.

I was imagining that Tsuna was the new king of a country accompanied by his loyal knights and he was highly greeted by the brave soldiers-

I shook my head hard and made my serious look, resumed walking with Tsuna's guardians. None of us spoke out until we went inside the headquarters. Even the interior of the headquarters looked royalty. The living hall, the guest rooms, the dining room, working room, meeting room- 

I needed more pair of eyes to look around the headquarters.

With Tsuna's orders, Gokudera commanded all the servants, the guards and everyone in the headquarters to assemble in the living hall. He wanted to announce that I would be working as Vongola Decimo's new secretary. I bowed to them and they greeted me with respect. Those men in black were fine but I had the feeling that the servants were giving their mixed reactions. 

Since Tsuna had a guest waiting for him in his study room, the silver-haired showed me some important and secret rooms before I finally reached my supposed room. It was almost the same as other guest rooms and it was three times bigger than my bedroom at my apartment. Gokudera cleared his throat and passed a briefcase to me, still glaring at me. 

"Alright, listen to me. When you're on duty as the Tenth's secretary, you must bring along your suitcase that contains many necessary items. It is highly protected with a complicated security system that no one can open it. In case if you lose or misplace it, you can locate it by tracking its last coordinate."

"Okay, but how can I trace it back where I misplaced it?"

"With this," he took out a high-tech phone from his pocket and placed it onto my hands. "Just click that suitcase number button and it'll let you know where is it."

"Damn it, so many things to learn..." I muttered and he heard it well as he smirked.

"Oh, there is a lot of things to learn but you must remember that you have Italian language lessons with me and others for your training. Tenth would want you to take some time to adapt to these new surroundings before you can start your job. So instead of wasting your time, I suggest you to learn how to use the gadgets in your briefcase and some Italian phrases."

Gokudera had a nasty look on his face, matching his evil smirk.

"You can quit if you want. But, you would be _assassinated_. You know too much already, woman." 

I nearly reached my limit. This silver-haired annoyed me so much. After he left my room, I took a small pillow and threw straight at the door. I wanted to punch him but I could not do that. Because he was Tsuna's most important right-hand man.

* * *

It took me hours for me to learn how to use my new tablet, a new phone, some communication gadgets and other things inside my briefcase. My alias name 'Minoru Ayano' was printed above my briefcase and some of my items. I almost forgot about my real name and I must not use or reveal it to others. This was the only way to protect my mother from any enemies' targets.

I was updating the contact list on my phone. All of Tsuna's guardians' numbers were saved and I only need to add some of his allies' numbers. I referred to a piece of paper with some names and numbers written on it given by that silver-haired earlier.

_Dino Cavallone_   
_(+39 3xx xxxxxxx)_

_Kozato Enma_   
_(+39 3xx xxxxxxx)_

_Superbi Squalo_   
_(+39 3xx xxxxxxx)_

_Yuni_   
_(+39 3xx xxxxxxx)_

_Gamma_   
_(+39 3xx xxxxxxx)_

_Byakuran_   
_(+39 3xx xxxxxxx)_

I was typing while questioning myself with curiosity. Some of the names were a little strange, especially the name Superbi Squalo. Was it a proud shark in Italian? 

Before I continued to save more names, I heard a knock at the door room. I placed my phone on the bed and went to open the door. My eyes went wide with the presence of a female servant with her heavy makeup and her surprising toothy smile. She looked like a teenager to me and she was holding a tray of refreshments while staring back at me eagerly. 

Why was she looking at me like that?

" _Buon pomeriggio,_ " she greeted with her wide grin. "It is tea time and I am bringing these refreshments just for you."

"For me?" I asked curiously.

" _Si_ , it is for you," she held up the tray. "I must say that you are a quite handsome and stunning young man I've seen. Would it be fine if I could ask for your number?"

I felt like my heart exploded with shock. I was speechless when she suddenly asked for my number, all because I looked 'handsome'. My bust was a little flat and my hair was short, almost everyone thought I was a boy. When the female servant went closer to me and she was about to touch my hand, I quickly took the tray and I stepped back a little from her, giving my nervous smile. 

"Look, Miss. It is the best I should tell you the truth before you made a mistake. I am certainly not a handsome man you're thinking. I am a woman, with short hair, flat bust and somewhat have a rough attitude. I'm so sorry to disappoint you, but this is the truth."

I explained and she was still staring with that same eager look. Only less than a minute, she ran away from my room, crying with despair. I sighed a little. It felt like breaking a girl's heart. I saw a cup of tea onto the tray I was carrying and I decided to take a sip to calm my mind.

I smelt something strange. I sniffed at the teacup and my eyes widened in shock. The tea was drugged.

"Congratulations, Ayano."

I turned around and I saw Tsuna coming towards me with a smile on his face. I blinked many times and I quickly placed the tray on the nearest table. Did he just saw me talking with that female servant?

"Why would you congratulating me, Tsuna?" I asked with an uncertain look.

"You're quick to sense something dangerous," he explained. "I have been watching you and that servant from far and I know that the tea was drugged. I want to stop you for first but something tells me that you will be able to handle it well."

"O-oh God! You saw it??" I gave an unbelievable look. "It's not what you're thinking-!"

Tsuna placed his finger gently on my lips and I went silent. 

"I understand, Ayano. Even Haru mistook you as a boy, so it's normal for that servant to make that such mistake. Besides, you will be cuter if you grow your hair a little longer."

I flinched at his comment and again, my heart was beating up so quickly. Every single time Tsuna made a kind compliment, I felt like I was melting. Why did he have to be overly charming? Was that a mafia boss supposed to act? He tilted his head a little and smiled warmly before he removed his finger from my lips and headed back to his study room.

I later heard from Lambo about that toothy smile servant who was obsessed with a handsome man she came across with. When she had a chance, she would place a drug in the tea for her target to drink it. Once they drank her tea- I guess you know the rest of the story.

Gokudera had given her some stern warning if she continued to do so. She would not dare to do it again after she mistook me as a boy.

But if I were born as a male and she came to interact me like that, I would tell her that I was in love with another guy. I laughed quietly, imagining her reaction-

I need to stop laughing and joking about it. I need to study the Italian language and got myself ready to train with Chrome and Hibari on the next day.

This was going to be a very busy day for a secretary.


	5. Strike

All thanks to the part-time jobs, I got used to waking up early in the morning. I was yawning with my sleepy look and I stretched my body before I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. The reason I woke up early was that I need to wake my boss up.

I slide the window curtain and the morning sky was still as dark as night, nothing out there but trees. Maybe the headquarters were meant to be hidden from the public. I wore my white shirt and checking the schedule. Tsuna was going to be busy for one whole day as he would need to meet up with some bosses of allied families and there were some charity events he needed to attend.

There was no free time for himself. I would always need to be at his side because my job was to take down any important notes in each meeting or events he was attending. 

I packed my briefcase and I went to Tsuna's room. I knocked his door three times and there was no answer. Without waiting, I opened it and I walked towards the window, pushing the curtains away. Only a few rays of lights could make the brunet flinch, still attempting to sleep longer. 

"Wake up now, Tsuna. It's 6.30 a.m.," I called out to him and he was groaning sleepily.

"Another five more minutes..."

"You've said that many times and you will need to wake up in an instant."

"I'm tired...let me sleep longer..."

"You're allowed to sleep after you get all your meetings done."

"...I don't want to...."

I grew a little annoyed. I had no choice but to use my way to wake the sleepy Vongola Decimo. 

I pushed up both of my sleeves to my elbows and forcefully pulled his thick blanket away from him. He yelped in shock and I smirked with a victory. I was about to call out for him again when I noticed that he was almost naked! With only boxers!

My knees gave up and I fell straight onto the floor along with his blanket. I covered my red face with huge embarrassment, shaking my head vigorously. That image of his hot, naked body was still in my head and I mentally screaming with shock.

"H-hey, Ayano...are you alright??"

I heard his voice from his bed and he sounded worried. I heard he was coming to me and I quickly skidded away from him until I leaned against the wall.

"What's wrong? Why are you running away from me??"

"P-Please, for clam sake..." I muffled from my hands. "...get yourself some clothes to wear..."

He blinked and he noticed that he wore nothing but boxers. He immediately ran straight to his bathroom and closed the door behind him. I removed my hands from my reddened face and I was letting out a loud, relieved sigh. I never had a problem looking at any shirtless guys during my school years and when I worked as the part-timer but working for the most handsome mafia boss was a different story.

Because you could get to see him shirtless, something that the fangirls dreamed to see. 

I slowly stood up and picking up the blanket, folding it up before I placed it back to his large bed. I heard the bathroom door was open and I still did not want to look at him although I knew he should be fully dressed. We did not talk for a moment until he broke the silence.

"I'm so sorry for what you've seen," Tsuna said with embarrassment. "I usually sleep with only boxers since Hayato has been the one to wake me up every day. I had forgotten that you would be the one to wake me up."

"Oh no, it's fine. It's not like I've never seen shirtless boys before in my life," I smiled nervously, still not looking at him. "I-I am merely surprised that you have a better body built than other boys."

"You...think so?" 

Crap, what did I just say? He must be thinking something weird about me and I quickly changed the topic.

"Okay, you've woken up, so I'll just get your breakfast ready at the kitchen."

I was almost leaving his room when he grabbed my arm with his strong grip. I slowly looked back at him. He was fully clothed with his black suit and he had an apologetic look at his face.

"I am truly sorry, Ayano. I'll just start wearing some loose clothes before going to sleep so that you won't get another shock."

"T-Tsuna, you don't have to-"

"No, I mean it," he then gave a warm smile. "Though you're the first girl to say something nice about my body, you know."

Tsuna, stop saying something that could make my face go red for the rest of my life.

* * *

I went down to the kitchen to see if the servants were done preparing the breakfast for Tsuna and his guardians. I still need some time to memorise the whole headquarters' rooms but I knew where the kitchen was. I went inside the dining room and I did not smell any food scent. Why were they not cooking?

I stepped into the kitchen and my eyes widened with surprise to see that none of the servants prepared anything. The kitchen counters were empty and the cooking utensils were left untouched. The servants were giving their guilt look. 

"May I know why you did not prepare the breakfast for Vongola Decimo and his guardians?" I asked curiously.

"W-we were told not to do anything today..." said one of the servants.

"And why is that so?"

"Because...it's from our leader's orders..."

"Your leader?"

"That's right, I'm their leader."

A new voice came out and a female servant with heavy makeup appeared among the servants. She was the one mistaken me for a boy and she had a smug look, crossing her arms.

"There is no way we are going to obey any orders from a woman like you."

"Excuse me?"

I raised my eyebrow. She came near to me and poke my chest roughly to show that she was angry at me for reason.

"I don't mind if the Storm Guardian would be the one acting like Vongola Decimo's assistant. But you, on the other hand, don't you dare to lay your hand on our beloved boss."

"You can't just tell me to stop 'touching' your boss or not allowing me to go near Vongola Decimo. You know that I am working as his secretary and whatever orders I give you are his orders as well," I frowned at her silly behaviour. 

"I don't give a damn! You're nothing but a plain girl who acts tough like a boy! You aren't fit to be his secretary!" the female servant retorted with anger.

I thought I ignore those harsh words but it pierced my heart so much that I wanted to slap across her face. I refrained from doing so and remained calm. I stared back at her sharply before I started to talk.

"At least I'm glad that Decimo did not take a shameless, flirtatious woman like you to be his secretary. I wonder how many men you've drugged to seduce them easily."

The female servant went red with anger and held up her hand to slap across my face. I just blink my eyes hard, waiting for her hand to hit on my face.

Soon, I heard someone came to my side and stopped her from slapping me. I slowly opened my eyes and I flinched with surprise. Hibari Kyoya was holding that female servant's hand and he was glaring at her with his cold, sharp eyes. She was shivering with fear and the other servants were shaking as well. 

"You will wait here until Gokudera Hayato have a word with you and everyone here for disobeying Sawada Tsunayoshi's orders."

The female servant was horrified and the skylark let off her hand before leaving all the servants in the kitchen. He turned to look at me and was telling me to follow him out of the kitchen. I walked behind him and the silver-haired passing by both of us. His face looked displeased and I did not want to know what would happen to them. I was silent as we reached the living hall and I heard him talking to me.

"You did well, Miss Minoru."

"I-I didn't do anything, Hibari-san."

"I watched the whole scene and I know whatever that woman said to you might hurt your feelings. But you didn't try to slap her and you counter-attack her with your words. A wiser move than picking up an unnecessary fight."

I looked up at him and it made me think that Hibari was not as bad as I thought. He was a little ruthless during my training with him (and I could not beat him because he was freaking strong and scary). He was just a silent person and sometimes spoke up when he needed to, or wanted to. That made me wonder why I-Pin had a huge crush on him.

Yamamoto Takeshi, Sasagawa Ryohei, Lambo and Chrome then appeared at the living hall and they were giving a puzzled look, wondering why their breakfast had not been prepared after an hour passed. I was unable to answer until Gokudera came in with his frustrated look. It seemed that he had done dealing with those servants at the kitchen.

"We have no choice. We might as well going to eat outside before we meet with the allied families," the silver-haired announced.

"Not again?!" Sasagawa Ryohei yelled in disbelief. "Did you just blow up the kitchen again, octopus head??"

"Not me, you idiot!" snapped Gokudera. "Those servants refused to listen to this woman and they are going on strike!"

"Well, those ladies are hard-headed enough," Yamamoto chuckled. "Let us go and have breakfast outside, shall we?"

"The Tenth needs to know about this," Gokudera turned to look at me. "Would you please go and tell the Tenth about this matter?"

I nodded and I walked away from the living hall. Come to think about it, I felt that it was my fault that they had to take their meals outside before the meeting.

I knew that I did not do anything wrong. If it was not because of me, the servants would have been preparing their meals. 

_"I don't give a damn! You're nothing but a plain girl who acts tough like a boy! You aren't fit to be his secretary!"_

Maybe she was right. I did not even deserve to be Tsuna's secretary.

I knocked on the door twice before entering Tsuna's room. I noticed that he was talking to someone on his phone and he had the excited look on his face. I was wondering whom he was talking to until he saw my presence before he excused himself from someone in his line.

"Is there anything wrong, Ayano?" the brunet asked.

"Um, Gokudera said that we might need to eat outside. The servants did not prepare anything this morning."

"Oh? Why is that so?"

"I think...they hated me for working with Vongola Decimo. So, they do not want to take orders from me," I answered with a guilty look. Again, there was a silence until his face had brightened after I told him about it.

"We can eat outside, Ayano. It is a coincidence that Enma is inviting all of us for breakfast together."

"R-really? You don't blame me for this mess?"

His lips curved into a warm smile and his eyes were more gentle before he answered.

"You've done your best as my secretary, Ayano. You are fine just the way you are. Don't let anything bad that would change you."

I slowly smiled back at him and I was glad that he was not mad at me for what had happened. I was happier that he accepted me as I was. I may not be a perfect girl but I was happy with who I was. My mother would have been proud of me. I started to miss her so much.

Maybe one day, I will get to see her again.


	6. Hitman

Thanks to that female servant's strike (and was given a final warning by Gokudera), we went out to have breakfast with the Shimon Famiglia. I learnt that both Vongola and Shimon had a strong friendship bond ever since Vongola Primo established his vigilante group. That strong friendship bond had passed through until to Tsuna and the Shimon boss himself, Kozato Enma. 

Unlike other mafia families, the Shimon Famiglia was the only mafia family who possessed the flames of the Earth. 

We arrived at the cafe where Enma and his guardians were waiting for us. He was the same age as Tsuna and had a flaming red-hair that matched his red-eyes as well. Behind him were all his guardians.

There was the green-haired guy with glasses, greeting Sasagawa Ryohei with yells and punches. Lambo gave his warm, childlike smile to that round, large guy. There was one guy with a glasses and his white fedora hat, tried to flirt with Chrome but ended up getting a hard smack from a tall woman before she greeted Hibari. I noticed another woman with the weirdest sense of fashion, winking at Gokudera. Lastly, another guy with his badass look greeted Yamamoto with his 'friendly' face. 

All of us take a seat in the cafe and I decided to sit beside Chrome. I saw that tall woman kept on glaring at me, sitting opposite at me. I felt uncomfortable with her glare and she strongly reminded me of Gokudera. She then turned to look at Tsuna before she started to ask him.

"Decimo, may I ask you a question?"

"Yes, Adelheid?" said Tsuna as he smiled. He looked a little nervous when he talked to that tall woman with the name Adelheid. 

"May I know who is this little boy sitting beside Chrome Dokuro?" Adelheid pointed her finger at me with her curious look. Because of her question, all Shimon guardians and Enma turned to look at me and stared at me suspiciously.

I wanted to run and hide.

"Oh, you mean that young woman sitting beside Chrome?" Tsuna chuckled softly. "Sorry for not introducing. Her name is Minoru Ayano, my new secretary."

"Secretary?" Enma's face was surprised. "So you've found a better candidate as your secretary?"

"Ah, your new secretary," that man with white fedora hat smirked at me. "I thought you would end up hiring a hot, sexy lady but...she looks kind of plain if you ask me-"

His sentences ended with a loud howl ("OOOUUCHH!!") after getting a hard pinch from Adelheid.

"Don't be rude, Katou Julie," Adelheid growled at that man.

"Owww! Okay, okay!! I'm sorry! But aren't you the one being rude for calling her a little boy??"

"In that case," she pulled her hand away from him and then bowed at me with respect. "Please forgive me for my rudeness, Miss Minoru. It is my mistake for calling you a little boy."

"Ah, no...there's no need to apologise. I'm already getting used to being called a boy," I smiled nervously and feeling awkward at the same time. I was grateful that someone apologised to me but this was way too formal. 

"If she is your secretary, how come she is not sitting beside you, Decimo?" the green-haired man asked the brunet with his boastful look.

"I do not wish to pressure Ayano because of her job," Tsuna answered, retaining his warm smile. "I only tell her to sit beside me when there are important meetings. Other than meetings, she is free to sit with anyone."

"You're the most powerful mafia boss but you're kind to someone who works for you," the man with that badass look said with his low tone and Yamamoto merely chuckled at his comment.

"That makes us one family."

I felt welcomed when I had breakfast with them. The Shimon Famiglia was not that bad and I soon knew their names. The green-haired man was Koyo Aoba. The round, large man was Ooyama Rauji. The woman with weird fashion was P. Shitt (I need to call her Shittopi-chan if I wanted to talk to her). The guy with badass look was Mizuno Kaoru. The tall woman was Adelheid Suzuki and lastly, Katou Julie, the man with a white fedora hat.

I thought that meeting up with mafia families were the scariest thing to me but so far, they were friendly. 

Maybe sooner, I would meet up the worst.

After we had our breakfast, we left the cafe and stood outside while waiting for the black limousine to fetch us. Tsuna and Enma shook their hands and they had a short conversation before leaving. 

"Where are you heading to, Enma?"

"We're on our way to the orphanage and do some volunteer work there. That place needs to have a new look so that more people will be visiting and adopting more children there. At least I'll be giving some donations to them."

"No wonder you're wearing like normal citizens."

"There's no way I would tell them I'm from the mafia."

Both of them laughed and the Shimon Famiglia then took their leave. Minutes later, the black limousine had arrived and all of us went inside, heading to our important meeting. Yamamoto and Ryohei were talking to each other while Gokudera was busy lecturing Lambo. Chrome was talking to someone on her phone, and I was silent. There was no one I want to talk to for a moment.

"Is there anything wrong, Ayano?"

"Huh?" I blinked and I quickly turned to look at Tsuna, who was giving his concerned look at me. "I'm fine, that's all."

"I'm a little worried when you are quiet. It feels like you're isolating yourself."

"It's not like that. I mean..."

"I just want you to feel comfortable with others. If there is anything, you can always talk to them," Tsuna gave a light smirk "Or maybe if you want to talk to me."

I smiled back at him nervously. He ruffled my hair gently before his attention turned to Gokudera, who seemed to have something he needed to ask. I turned away and I saw Chrome was smiling at me. 

I wonder what was that supposed to mean.

* * *

The headquarters were out of coffee beans since almost all of us drank coffee. Or to be more precise, Tsuna was the one who drank the most. Gokudera drank it too but not as often as his boss. Ryohei, Yamamoto, Lambo and Chrome rarely drank it and Hibari did not take it at all. The only thing he drank was Japanese green tea. I even started to drink because sometimes, I need to stay up late to complete my work and arranging the schedule for Tsuna.

However, there was no way we were already out of coffee in a short time. There must be someone else drank more than any of us.

I walked down the streets and I went into a shop that sells good and finest coffee beans from around the world. The shop was old but I love the historical value of it. I checked back the message left by Tsuna to see what kind of coffee bean I was supposed to buy.

_Robusta coffee bean. It is the one we need at the headquarters. You can talk to the shop owner about it since he knows what Vongola needed.  
  
By: Tsuna_

He wanted me to get that type of coffee bean to brew. I went through each of the shelves and my eyes caught a sight onto the only remaining Robusta coffee bean package. I reached out my hand to get that package. At the same time, there was someone else reaching out for the same item as I did.

I turned my head aside and I saw was a tall man in a black suit that matched his black fedora hat. His dark eyes were cold and I could see his significant sideburns. I felt like he was someone you should never want to mess up with but there was no way I would let him take something that I wanted first.

" _Mi dispiace ma tocca a me_ (Excuse me, it's my turn)..." I said politely to that man and he only chuckled at me. What the hell was his problem?

"You must be new in this country, right?" the man spoke out with his deep voice, a smirk was formed on his lips.

"Look, I know my Italian is really bad, but at least I tried," I snapped. "Now can you please let me take this coffee beans? I need to bring this back for someone."

"Oh, I don't think I can. It is my absolute favourite that I shall not give to anyone."

"Hey! I found it first!" I just snatched the package away from his hand and I quicken my pace to the nearest counter.

I felt like someone was about to attack me from behind and I quickly turned around, blocking the incoming attack with my hand. My eyes widened in shock as I found out that I was blocking a pistol. That man was holding it coolly with his dark eyes staring back at me.

"That move you made. Does a certain man named Hibari Kyoya train you to fight?"

"Well, Hibari-san did-" I blinked once and I retorted back at him. "Why should I tell you about him??"

"I assume that he did," his smirk grew wider. "I would like to see your fight progress."

I started to feel freaked out thanks to him, so I placed some cash to pay for the coffee bean and I ran out of the shop as quickly as possible. 

Being the champion of long-distance running during my school years did not help me at all because that man was running much faster than the speed of light! 

I was getting tired and when he was about to catch me, I used my remaining energy to dodge him and tried to attack him back. He did nothing but he kept on dodging every single blow I gave. I was seriously exhausted until I heard his deep voice.

"Is that all you can give? Looks like it's my turn now."

Before I could respond, he gave a hard punch straight to my stomach. That one blow was enough for me to pass out, almost screaming with pain. While I was collapsing, I saw my phone dropped out of my suit pocket. Someone was calling me and I could see the caller's name from that screen.

"T-Tsu...na..."

I mumbled and everything turned dark after that.

* * *

"Reborn! How could you hurt Ayano?! She's a woman!"

"I just found out that she is a woman after I punched her. Though I must be impressed that she is good with her fighting skills." 

"That one blow of yours is enough to make her unconscious!"

"Well, better than what I've done to you when you were my student, Dame-Tsuna. At least I am kind enough to bring her back here after learning that she is your beloved _segretario_."

My mind was rather blurred but I could hear someone talking while almost waking up. I groaned in pain and I heard some faint footsteps coming towards me. I slowly opened my eyes and I saw Tsuna staring back at me with worry. I gave him a weak smile to tell him that I was alright. My stomach was strangely less painful.

"Ayano? Are you alright?" the brunette asked worriedly.

"I...I'm fine for now..." I responded. "I feel less painful..."

"I have Ryohei to check on you and he said nothing serious after Reborn gave a strong punch to you. He healed you up."

"R-Reborn?" I blinked confusedly. "Who's Reborn?"

"That man with a black suit and his significant sideburns. His name is Reborn. He used to be my tutor and the one who trained me to be who I am now."

I stared blankly at him and my eyes shifted to that man who nearly gave me a one-way ticket to heaven. He took off his hat and bowed to me with respect. That same smirk was still on his stoic look.

Did Tsuna just mention that he was once his tutor?

"Greetings, Minoru Ayano. My name is Reborn, the world's greatest hitman."


	7. Omerta

Would you say that it was indeed a nightmare for having a sadistic, spartan tutor to train you to become the next mafia boss? Well, that happened to Tsuna ten years ago. Would you believe that this cool and smart Vongola Decimo used to be a person who academically poor and was bad at sports- 

That was what the dangerous hitman named Reborn had told me about his stories of how he trained his student. While he was telling, Tsuna had been trying to stop him from telling further because he was already embarrassed as I was learning about his life. I was not that bad when I was a middle school student myself but I did not laugh at the brunet.

My mother told me that it was rude and inappropriate to laugh at someone's great weakness since not all of us were perfect. 

However, Reborn raised his curiosity about Tsuna hiring me as his secretary. It was as if he was suspecting me of trying to assassinate the brunet by getting close to him. I denied it. Why would I try to kill someone?

"I'm not making any mistake, Reborn. Ayano is not that kind of person. You should know that my intuition would trigger if anything bad happens."

"I know that. But you should know that your _fratello_ is not convinced about your choice. Especially after that day."

"I appreciate that _mio fratello_ is being protective of me. That is why I keep on telling him that I will be alright and I will not make any mistake this time."

That 'day', as Reborn had mentioned, was something I wanted to know. I did try asking both of them about it but none of them gave me the answer. Instead, Tsuna merely smiling at me and telling that it did not matter for now. All I need to do was to just focus on my work and get proper rest as he was still worried about that attack Reborn gave to me. I gave a dislike look and the brunet responded to me with his innocent look.

Why would he want to hide it from me? 

* * *

The brunet was spending most of his time to deal with his paperwork, so I was walking around the headquarters to make sure that something needed to be done was according to the schedule that I had arranged. The servants this time were listening to my orders and continued doing their work. I would need to learn the Italian language, along with physical and combat skills. I had to spend about two hours to master my Italian language, with the help of that silver-haired himself. He decided to test it by conducting a simple conversation in Italian.

" _Scusi signorina, puo rispondere a qualche domanda_ (Excuse me miss, can you answer a few questions)?"

" _Mi dica_ (Tell me)."

" _Come si chiama_ (What is your name)?"

"Minoru Ayano."

" _Di dov'e_ (Where are you from)?"

" _Sono di Santa Margherita_ (I am from Santa Margherita)."

" _Dove abita_ (Where do you live)?"

" _Abito a Genova_ (I live in Genova)."

" _Lei lavora_ (Do you work)?"

" _Si, lavoro_ (Yes, I work)."

" _Che lavoro fa_ (What is your job)?"

" _Sono dentista_ (I am a dentist)."

Gokudera was giving his 'not-bad' look at me and I passed my test. I was excited and he tried to be a killjoy by telling me that he was going to give me a harder level to master this language. I did not even care. I wanted to be happy about being able to speak in Italian.

"Whatever, woman. Don't you dare to come at me and give me that pitiful look of yours when I truly give you that hardest level," he said sarcastically while placing his reading glasses in his shirt pocket. I packed my stuff as well as I slowly looked up at him.

"Um, Gokudera?"

"What is it?"

"I am wondering..." I paused for a second to think of what I wanted to ask. "Did Tsuna hire someone else as his secretary before me?"

The silver-haired stopped what he was doing and he stared at me blankly. I raised my eyebrow with curiosity. Was he not going to tell as Reborn and Tsuna did?

"Why do you want to know about it so much?"

"Well, Reborn looks like he does not trust me at all after he knows that I am Tsuna's new secretary. He's worried that Tsuna might make another mistake, especially if his brother knows about it."

A deep silence engulfed the study room and we did not talk for a moment. Gokudera gave a light sigh, crossing both of his arms and stared at me sternly. Something tells me that this was not going to be a good story to tell.

"Two years ago, the Tenth was indeed planning to hire a new secretary to manage his timetable and paperwork. He did ask Reborn and the rest of the guardians about his plans. I objected, of course. I rather help the Tenth to do the administration works but he refused to let me do so. He did not want to give more pressure to me especially if I were to be assigned to any secret missions at the same time. As we agree with the Tenth, he had found a good candidate and had that woman to work as his secretary."

"A woman? She must be really happy to be chosen, I assume."

"Happier at an annoying level," Gokudera growled with anger. "She was easily chosen because of her achievements in administration studies. Yes, she was doing her job but she acted like she was the Tenth's wife. She also went on boasting around to her friends and her family members that she was working as Vongola Decimo's secretary. If I were the Tenth, I would have sternly warned about her behaviour."

I could swear that the previous secretary was acting like that female servant back then. I could not blame Gokudera for disliking her because I did want to slap her too without knowing who was she.

"So, what happened to her?"

"She accidentally slipped every single secret about Vongola Famiglia while having a drink with a stranger at the bar. The drink was drugged and she failed to notice the danger, obviously putting herself and the Vongola in a vulnerable position. That stranger turned out to be an enemy and had launched a sudden attack on that day we celebrated Sasagawa Ryohei's birthday."

"Sasagawa Ryohei's...birthday?" I froze in shock. Every single secret led to a serious attack. I could not believe it.

"It was only a small reunion group, we did not want to make it grand. But the moment we got attacked, we were almost not prepared. His sister, Kyoko was there too and she almost got killed. Thankfully, the Tenth knew that this might happen and had that enemy arrested. We had to dismiss everything."

I was regretting asking him to tell me about this incident. No wonder Reborn and Tsuna were reluctant to tell me about it. Because of that previous secretary's actions, Ryohei's younger sister almost got killed in that attack. 

"Was it the reason she got fired?"

"She was supposed to be killed for breaking the omerta, the code of silence. Even Reborn agreed but the Tenth could not do so. He had just taken over the Vongola and he could not bring himself to kill someone. He was already guilty enough for putting someone he cared in danger. That woman kept on crying horribly, begging to spare her life. In the end, the Tenth ordered her and her family to flee out of the country, never stepping back to Italy once again."

The silver-haired slowly placed both of his hands on the table and stared intently at me. His green eyes were deadly enough to kill anyone and I could not blink. He was dead serious and spoke to me with his low, cold tone.

"This is the reason why the Tenth made you remember that once you become his secretary, you will no longer allow seeing your sick mother, your family members or your friends. And that if one day you break the omerta, you will be killed, died as Minoru Ayano instead of your real identity. The Tenth is serious about this matter and he would not hesitate to kill you with his own hands."

My heart stopped beating for a millisecond and my hands turned icy cold. I could feel that my face went as pale as a sheet of paper. I could imagine that once, a kind-hearted Tsuna would become a heartless man, killing me off for breaking the omerta. I was aware of it after I had chosen my path to be his secretary but after what the previous secretary had done to put the Vongola in harm, I was afraid that I might end up doing the same as she was. I might not be as lucky as she was. She could fly away from Italy alive but I will be dead.

In the hands of Vongola Decimo.

* * *

_"...if one day you break the omerta, you will be killed, died as Minoru Ayano instead of your real identity. The Tenth is serious about this matter and he would not hesitate to kill you with his own hands."_

I was lying on my bed with my brain, remembering back that last words said by Gokudera. I was so afraid that I got my work a little messed up. I was supposed to bring all the paperwork (after being signed by Tsuna) to my room to sort them out before sending it back to whoever it was. The moment when I look at Tsuna, my hands shivered and I dropped all the papers, much to his surprise. 

Even with his worried look plastered on his face, I was still afraid. He tried to pull me to stand up but I swatted his hand away. He was completely confused that I ended up running back to my room and refused any lunch or dinners. I did not respond to anyone who knocked at my door room several times.

What happened to me? Where was the courage that I used to protect my mother and fighting with other delinquents in my school?

I reached out for my phone and noticed that there were a lot of missed calls, mostly from Tsuna and Gokudera himself. I wanted to see the time and it showed 8 p.m. I was hungry, but what if...

"Miss Ayano? Are you alright?"

Chrome called out to me while knocking the door. I could not continue to not responding to any knocks and I felt a little relieved that it was her who came to me. I slowly stood up from my bed and I opened the door to see her standing outside with her concerned look. I let her in and I knew she was asking about my current condition. I told her everything that Gokudera said to me and my strange treatment towards Tsuna. She just listened until I stopped. I started to feel so awful for what I had done to that brunet.

"It was indeed a sudden attack but Boss had a strong intuition. That is why he had everything prepared even for a small birthday party for the Sun Guardian. No one blames Boss for that to happen."

"But what if I'm his next mistake??"

Chrome sighed a little. "Miss Ayano, what is your real reason for working with Boss?"

"I...I wanted to get a permanent job to pay for my mother's medical bill."

"That is exactly why Boss decided to hire you, Miss Ayano. You take this job to save your sick mother unlike the previous one. You even sacrifice something important for the sake of your mother too. Your love and loyalty towards Boss are the same things you do for your mother. And for that, you will never be the next mistake."

"You think so, Chrome?"

"I was dying after the car accident and Mukuro-sama saved my life. Even if in exchange that he will use my body as his vessel, I do not regret following him. Boss and his friends were so kind to me, which makes me wanted to protect the Vongola."

Her slender hand went on to touch my short hair softly and smiled sweetly at me. I could not believe if any boys would not be easily melted with that sweet smile she had. I slowly smiled back at her and I felt even more comfortable. Forget about that murderous Tsuna. I was prepared to die if one day I broke the omerta but there was one thing in my mind.

I would never betray Tsuna and the Vongola Famiglia, no matter what happened.

"Wait, Chrome. What do you mean by love and loyalty towards Boss?"

I stared at her curiously and she gave a sly smile.

"Did I just say that?"

* * *

_**Extra** _

Reborn was on his way to his other former student's large mansion. All the men in black suit welcomed him as one of them with glasses led him to their boss' study room. Seeing Reborn's arrival, the man with glasses knocked the study room twice before being called from inside. The door was opened and Reborn casually stepped in with a slight smirk on his face, staring at someone who was sitting on his couch like a real mafia boss.

"Well, Reborn. Looks like you have just returned from your secret mission."

"And what about you? Been busy lately, or once again, you're becoming clumsier than before?"

"Come on, I'm not that old self now," the other chuckled with embarrassment. "So, what brings you here other than visiting me?"

"I am not sure if you heard of this," Reborn cleared his throat. "Your little _fratello_ had just hired a new secretary and I daresay they are much better than the previous one."

"Did you just say Tsuna hired a new secretary?" the other's tone darkened.

"And now you've heard it. What are you going to do?"

Reborn patiently waiting for the other's answer. The man with glasses seemed to look uncertain about what his boss was thinking. A few minutes later, the other stood up from his couch and was gripping his whip tightly. His seriousness was shown on his face before he answered. 

"I will personally test their loyalty towards Vongola Decimo. I do not want another mistake to befall my little brother ever again."


	8. Ambush

Tsuna gave a deep sigh after I explained my strange behaviour days ago. He would never expect that his right-hand man would threaten me that way. He admitted that there would be a severe punishment for breaking the omerta but having him to finish off the job, he was speechless. 

I decided not to talk about this further and resumed our work. Everything was fine at the moment.

I had been working for the Vongola Famiglia for almost half a year but it felt like it was already one year. I was busy rearranging the schedule before I went to Tsuna's study room and remind him about his agenda. He was busy lately and I guess that he needed some time to rest. I heard rumours that overworking would cause sudden death but Reborn told me not to worry since he had that such incredible 'dying will power'. 

As I was about to enter Tsuna's study room, one of the Vongola subordinates came to me in sudden with a large package at his arms. He looked like he was in a hurry before I asked him.

"Yes? What can I do for you?"

"Segretario Minoru, this package is addressed to the Don Vongola. We have checked through this package to make sure that it does not harm anyone before handed it to him."

"A package for Tsuna?" I eyed at that large package as I slowly took it from the subordinate's arms. It was quite heavy and that made me wonder what was inside. "I'll give it to him then. Thanks for your great help."

That subordinate bowed and left the headquarters. I saw a courier label outside package and it was delivered from the Namimori district of Japan along with the sender's name.

The Sawada family? Tsuna's mother was the one who delivered this package to her son?

Without waiting, I quickly walked towards his study room and I saw him signing off some important letters at his desk. He seemed to be surprised when he saw me carrying the package before I explained to him about it. He blinked as soon he heard the sender's name and he opened the package. A small smile was formed on his lips when he looked at a certain item inside the package.

"It's spring in Japan. No wonder my mother sent these mochis to the headquarters," the brunet said as he took out the letter inside the package.

"Spring already?" I slapped my forehead with shock. Time indeed had passed that fast. "I have forgotten about that."

"You're not the only one forgetting," Tsuna chuckled. "It seems that my parents, Haru, Hana and Kyoko are the ones who have been making these mochis to celebrate the arrival of the spring season."

"Even Haru and those two?"

"Yes, Kurokawa Hana and Sasagawa Kyoko," the brunet mentioned. "To be exact, Hayato, Takeshi, Hana, Kyoko and I were in the same class when we studied in Namimori Middle school. Hana hates children so much and prefers mature-looking boys. Kyoko used to be every boys' favourite idol in the school. She's kind..."

I noticed that pained look in his eyes when he talked about Sasagawa Kyoko. Was it because of his fault she almost got killed during her brother's birthday?

"Hey, cheer up, Tsuna!" I smiled warmly at him. "If you give that sad look, Kyoko will not forgive you for being unhappy. How about we do something with these mochis they give to us?"

"Ah, you're right," he laughed lightly. I felt relieved that he was alright. "The problem is that there are too many of them. I can give some for my guardians and everyone in this headquarters, but the remaining ones..."

"How about giving it to your friends? Like the Shimon family, or someone else."

"Oh! How can I forget about that? Enma and his guardians would love these. The same thing goes for Dino since he does love my mother's cooking."

I was amazed that Tsuna's parents, Haru, Hana and Kyoko would make a lot of mochis because they knew that the brunet had a lot of friends. Both of us carefully sorted out which ones we need to give while writing the names on a paper before we paste onto the boxes of mochi.

"We're done here. The only thing to do is to send it to them."

"Yes, that will do," Tsuna answered as he looked at the boxes. "I think I can have Hayato to send one for Dino. Takeshi can send it to Superbi Squalo and Lambo will send it to Enma. That only leaves for Giglio Nero and Gesso family."

"Giglio Nero and Gesso," I read those names and I remembered that they were living somewhere in a deep forest or a wooded area. The brunet turned to look at me.

"Ayano, I need your favour. Could you please send these boxes to both of the family?"

"M-me?" I looked bewildered. "But I've never met them before, Tsuna."

"I'll give you the directions to their headquarters. I'll call Yuni upon your arrival so that she knows you're coming to deliver these gift."

"Do you think they will trust me?"

The brunet was silent for a second before he gently lifting my chin. He made me stare at his charming face. I tried not to collapse, trying not to let my knees lurching uncomfortably. I even tried not to blush or he would think that I was in love with him- 

No, not that. Don't ever think about it. There was no way a handsome boss like him would fall for a plain woman like me. If only I could stop my heart from beating too fast. It just got worse when he leaned his forehead against mine and gave a light smirk at me. I could not take this anymore.

"If I can trust you, why can't they?" he said softly while still staring at my eyes. "Will you do this for me?"

"...y-yes, I will...Tsuna..." I stuttered.

"I'm glad to hear that," the brunet smiled and he pulled his hand away from my chin and he started to look for Yuni's number. 

I wanted to run back to my room and collapsed onto my bed and screaming hysterically into the pillows. I could imagine the girls' enraged faces while shouting at me angrily.

_"Get off your dirty hands from our beloved Sawada Tsunayoshi!"_

If they were around, I would throw my fists at their faces-

"Ayano, are you alright?"

"H-huh?" I blinked and I sighed deeply. My weirdest imagination again invaded my brain. I should have focused on my work. "I'm alright, sorry for not listening."

"It's fine," the brunet chuckled. "I've called Yuni and she says that she will be waiting for your arrival. It seems that Byakuran is excited when he heard that I will be giving some mochi for them to eat. So, get yourself prepared for your journey."

"Okay, I'll get ready."

"And one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Please be careful during your journey."

* * *

Instead of my usual briefcase, I was given a backpack that could fit the boxes of mochi for the Giglio Nero and Gesso Famiglia. After prepared everything, Tsuna had called out for a taxi to fetch me to that certain family's mansion. During the whole journey, I was just staring at the window where I could see a nice view of southern Italy's town. I would never get bored of looking at the same places unless if I lived here for another thousand years. I would have been dead by that time.

It took forty-five minutes for me to reach my supposed destination. The taxi stopped nearby the forest and mentioned that the Giglio Nero mansion should be inside. I thanked the driver and I climbed out of the taxi while looking around the large forest. It was extremely rare to have any cars or vehicles to pass by this area. Was it because of being a mafia territory?

"Come on, [Name]. You can do this."

I whispered to myself and smiling lightly after remembering my real name. I got used to the name Minoru Ayano but there was no way I would forget my real name. I could never mention it to protect my identity. I took a deep breath and I slowly stepped into the thick forest.

There was a small path that would lead me to where I should be going. It should be fine, so I followed the path. However, when I felt like I was already at the half of my path, I felt a certain hostility around me. I stopped walking and my eyes scanned around to see who was the one watching me. I hoped that it was not Yuni sending her men to ambush me. Or anyone from Gesso Famiglia? Tsuna told me to be careful with someone named Byakuran. 

The heck?? He was the one telling me to save Byakuran's number in my phone!

All of a sudden, some men in black jumped out from the thick bushes and they were about to attack me. I was rather quick and I skipped away from them, causing them to hit their attacks on the spot I stood earlier. I glared at them as one of them spoke out to others. 

"Oi, Bono. Are you sure this is the one that the boss talking about? He looks so tiny here."

"Of course he is the one, Ivan. This is the one we were told to eliminate him."

I frowned with anger. They thought that I was a little boy. They mentioned that their boss wanted to eliminate me.

I had to fight them off.

One of them charged straight to my position and I just avoided, letting him crashed into the nearby tree trunk. The other two then decided to throw as many punches as they could. Again, I avoided their blows and I merely gave a harsh flying kick at their faces. Only left two of them named Bono and Ivan. Unlike the other fallen men, both of them had their respective weapons in their hands and I sensed something was not right about their weapons. Bono started shooting with his pistol and I could see the bullets were coming to me. I wanted to dodge when those bullets started flying nowhere.

My eyes widened in shock. There was no way the bullets could fly madly like that!

The bullets later aimed straight at me and I suddenly took a metal plate from nowhere, blocking the bullets. Luckily, those bullets deflected and flew straight to Bono and Ivan, who was about to use his weapon as well. The sound of a loud explosion occurred and I slowly stood up, looking at both of them. All of them were unconscious and I had no chance to ask them about the assassination attempt.

Again, I felt a certain hostility and I turned behind to see a distinguished-looking blond-haired man coming towards me. I slowly backed away from him and my eyes did not fail to glare at that man. He was giving a dark smirk and was somewhat amazed at what I had done to these men. Or possibly his loyal subordinates.

"Not bad for someone small like you to defeat these people of mine who are much bigger than yourself," he spoke out with his pleasant tone.

"Are you the one telling them to wipe me off?" I asked that blond man coldly. 

"Oh? Did you hear them saying like that?" that man chuckled lightly. "I knew that Ivan and Bono would not believe that their target would be that small but yes, I did."

"Why is that so? And who are you?"

The atmosphere was rather tense and silent. We kept on looking at each other and I did not say anything. I was waiting for his reply but he better not keep me waiting because I easily got impatient in this kind of situation.

"You don't need to know why and who am I. Rather," he took out his bullwhip and clenched it tightly, giving a murderous look at me. "I shall teach you a lesson for hurting my loyal subordinates."

"What the hell-?!"

I yelled with anger and he was not giving me a chance to curse more because he was already using his bullwhip to attack me. I tried backing away further but the movement of his bullwhip was too fast and there was no opening for me to attack him. Although I tried to avoid it, I felt that his bullwhip had slightly touched my right arm. 

That was when I realised that I could not use my right arm. It was as heavy as a statue stone.

My knees dropped to the ground and I could not lift my right arm. I tried again but it did not move at all. I looked up at that blond man who was smirking darkly at me, claiming his easy victory.

What was he planning to do with me?

What did he do to paralyse my right arm?

What did I miss here?


	9. Solution

I was supposed to go to the Giglio Nero Famiglia's mansion inside the forest and I was surrounded by some men in black. After I had defeated them, their boss joined in and used his bullwhip to attack me. With that slight touch from his bullwhip, my right arm was completely paralysed and I could not do anything to beat that blond man. 

I had to be quick. Yuni was waiting for me and Tsuna might be worried if I came back late.

Maybe if I could hit my right arm harshly to make it move as what Yamamoto had told me, in case the numbness of limbs.

"Oh no, you don't," the blond spoke out. "If you do that, you'll completely lose your right arm forever. I'm telling you it is not the numbness that causes your right arm to paralyse temporarily."

I was getting, even more, angry at his cocky attitude. If he wanted me to die so much, why he was kind to remind me not to hit my right arm?

"Then what the actual f**k have you done to my right arm?!" I snapped back angrily and he flinched a little with surprise.

"You better watch your manners. I don't think the Don Vongola would ever like to hear his secretary saying something vulgar here."

"If it is not because you send your men to kill me here, or you're here to finish it on your own, I would not have to say something rude to you!!" I shouted. "Now please answer my first question, will you?!"

"You don't get it, aren't you?" the blond sighed. "I use my Sky Flame to combine with my bullwhip here before attacking you with it. In other words, I've petrified your right arm with that flame of mine."

"...flames??" I gave a disbelief look at him. "What kind of fire that...petrifies my right arm??"

"It's a life-flame. Can't you see those orange flames at my bullwhip? Or those yellow flames from Bono's pistol bullets?"

"I'm sorry, but...I don't see any coloured flames you're trying to describe."

No matter how many times that blond tried to explain the flame thing, I still could not see any of those flames. I hardly believe that a flame could have petrified my right arm. The blond gave a dry laugh as if he was mocking my weaknesses before he stared back at me with his deadly eyes.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your pitiful flame-blindnessbut that does not stop me from killing you off in this spot," he tightened the bullwhip he was holding. "I wonder what can you do without relying on your right arm."

He was right. I could not fight with my paralysed right arm and he was going to kill me off without hesitation. I needed to do something. That was when a flashback of me sparring against Hibari Kyoya came into my head as if reminding me of something else.

_"If you want to win on the battlefield, then ignore everything that stops you from going further. Whether if they break your bones or beating you up into a bloody pulp, ignore those pain you're suffering. Use every single of your strength to win."_

I temporarily lost my right arm, but I still had my other arm, my legs and my head. They were still available to fight. As soon the blond man aimed his bullwhip at me again, I grabbed it with my left hand and harshly pulled by force. He almost stumbled to the ground and I quickly ran towards him. With my close chance, I sharply kneed in his stomach and he gasped with pain. And then, I used my left elbow to hit at his back. He collapsed onto the ground and stared weakly at my rage look. The only thing he could do was to give a weak smirk at me. 

"You really can fight. Looks like Kyoya trained you so well. I wonder if he knew..."

I glared back at him before leaving him in that spot. I heard his last words as I went deeper into the forest.

"I'll find you again."

* * *

My right arm was getting heavier and I panted as I walked. It felt like I was carrying like five bowling balls while walking and I was worried if my right arm could be fixed or not. How would I explain this to Tsuna later on? A flame burning and paralysed my arm? I was confused about what had happened and I had no idea how to deal with it. 

All I knew that I was already reaching the Giglio Nero's mansion and I was about to knock the door. It was swung open and I saw an older teenage girl with crystal blue eyes that matched her bluish-green hair. She held a worried look at me before she started to talk.

"Segretario Minoru! I'm so worried that you would never go to reach here, are you alright??"

"I...I'm fine, sorry for my late arrival..." I tried to smile but I was already tired and that was when she noticed my right arm. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Why is your right arm petrified? Are you being attacked earlier?"

"P-petrified? I'm sorry, but...you can see what happened to my arm?"

"Of course I can! It's a solid rock there-" the teenage girl blinked and stared back at me. "You don't even know what happen to your arm?"

"It's heavy like a statue arm, like being paralysed."

"She indeed has that such defect," a voice coming from behind that girl and I saw a young man with spiky white hair and violet eyes. Although I found him such a cheerful person, there was an intimidating aura coming from him. Maybe it was just my feeling.

"Defect? What do you mean by that?" I asked curiously.

"We'll talk later, we do not want to let our guest standing outside for too long. Right, Yuni?"

The teenage girl named Yuni nodded and quickly pulled me inside the mansion. She made me sat down on the couch and had one of her servants to get some tea. Her hands gently touched my right arm and she was still worried. She was afraid that I might lose my arm and because of that, I was afraid as well. She then turned to look at a middle-aged blonde man and was requesting him to call Tsuna to come over to her mansion.

"Gamma, would you please call Sawada to come over to my headquarters? He needs to know what had happened to Segretario Minoru and it's urgent."

"Will do, _principessa,_ " the man named Gamma bowed and went on to call the brunet as Yuni turned back to look at me.

"I'll have Byakuran to undo this petrification on your right arm. He knows better, so you don't need to worry about losing your arm."

"T-thank you so much, Yuni," I spoke out, feeling so grateful for her help.

"Though, I might as well want to know who did this to you. The only thing I know is that the attacker is a Sky Flame user themselves. Am I right?"

"Yes, but that is what he described his attack. I don't know and I can't see any flames or something like fire stuff."

"You heard Byakuran. That is your real defect. You are not able to see Dying Will Flames with your own eyes. Or in other words, flame-blindness."

"F-flame...blindness?" I stared at her with surprise. "Is there such a thing as flame-blindness?"

"Yes. Like colour-blindness, your eyes failed to see any of these life flames. That is why you see other special attacks as normal moves. Only a few individuals on this earth have this defect."

"So flames like that does exist?" I sighed. "I just can't get to see it with my own eyes?"

"Does anyone ever tell you about it?"

"No one, even Tsuna," I blinked my eyes hard. "I don't know but Hibari-san seemed to find out something was wrong about me and later had been the only one training me to fight instead of Chrome."

"I think he already knew," Yuni gave a light sigh. "I have a bad feeling that I know who attacked you earlier."

"You do? Who is it??"

"You need to get your arm treated first, Segretario Minoru. There is no way you can receive the shock with your petrified arm."

Overall, Byakuran had successfully removed the petrification at my right arm and I felt as light as a feather. It had been long I had ever wanted to move it around. It was good news but what came next was bad news. 

Gamma and Tazaru had confirmed that the one who attacked me earlier was Dino Cavallone along with his subordinates. Yuni was shocked as she could not believe that Don Cavallone would try to kill off Don Vongola's secretary. Even Byakuran asked me if I did anything wrong that could make him go overboard with his actions. I swear that I did not anger Dino for anything, and that was the first time I met him. 

Soon, I remembered what Reborn had told Tsuna back then.

_"You should know that your fratello is not convinced about your choice. Especially after that day."_

_"I appreciate that mio fratello is being protective of me. That is why I keep on telling him that I will be alright and I will not make any mistakes this time."_

If Tsuna knew what Dino had done to me, it would be my fault for severing their ties as allied families.

Not long after that, Tsuna had arrived along with Gokudera and Yamamoto. He was relieved to see me safe and he was completely stunned when Gamma mentioned about the identity of my attacker. The silver-haired was thinking that it was a huge joke for saying that Don Cavallone would kill me but Gamma was serious and it was true. The three of them were speechless and before Gokudera would suggest bombing Dino's place, I immediately stood up and looked at them. 

"Tsuna, Gokudera, Yamamoto...we need to talk. Only four of us, the Vongola Famiglia meeting."

"Not right now, woman. We need to-"

"I mean it. I want to talk to all of you...please."

They were quiet until Tsuna asked Yuni's permission to borrow a guest room for the four of us to talk. As soon we sat on the couches, I started explaining everything. About the attack and my defect. They listened to me attentively and they soon talked after I was done.

"So, Hibari already knew that you have this defect?" the Rain Guardian asked.

"I think he did but he never explained to me. He just trained me to death."

"That's simply because he did not want you to think about your weakness. His job is to make you strong and skilful," added Gokudera.

"I should have told you earlier about it, Ayano," the brunet sighed. "I'm sorry for making you going through this ordeal."

"No, it's not your fault."

"It is," said Tsuna sternly. "If I can do something about your defect, you would not get yourself attacked by Dino himself."

"Tenth, this is just unfair to her. He used his flames to attack her, which is a huge disadvantage to herself. We should talk to him about this matter."

"It is unusual for him to do so, Tsuna. You're going to let him do whatever he wants?"

"I'll try to talk to him. And if I have to, I'm going to give him a proper lecture-"

"No, don't do it, Tsuna," I suddenly spoke out and the three of them turned to look at me with shock.

"What are you talking about? He is the reason why you almost losing your right arm," said Yamamoto with concern.

"Just because he is the Don Cavallone, messing up with the Tenth is an unforgivable mistake," Gokudera growled with irritation.

"Still, I am asking any of you to stop doing anything against Don Cavallone," I said further.

"May I know the reason why?" Tsuna asked calmly. 

"Simple reason," I answered and I looked at the brunet. "Because Dino Cavallone does not trust me."

"Trust you?"

"He has the right to be very protective of his little brother. A family is important to him. He just did not want you to repeat the same mistake as that day. He knows you better and he did not want his little brother to keep on blaming himself for putting anyone in danger." 

I took a deep breath before continuing. 

"I think he is trying to test me. Test my loyalty towards Don Vongola."

Gokudera and Yamamoto exchanged looks with shock. Tsuna remained calm and he knew what I meant.

"You're saying that it is between you and Dino?" the brunet concluded.

"If he wants to test me, then I'll accept his challenge. I'll do it until I can gain his trust. Besides, I don't want two-family ties severed because of me."

"Alright," Tsuna placed his hand on my shoulder and gave a small smile at me. "I'm not going to interfere. Just please be safe."

"Tenth, are you sure about this? What if he is going too far?"

"If this is what Ayano wants, then we should not interfere unless something really bad happens. She is already prepared for this and I will certainly believe that she can gain Dino's trust."

Gokudera and Yamamoto were not convinced but had decided to let me handle that issue by myself. They were not going to do anything but only me and Don Cavallone. 

This was the only choice I could do rather than having to watch a big argument between two families.


	10. Flame

It had been a week after my encounter with Don Cavallone and I was questioning myself if I did the right thing. I did not allow anyone to interrupt my cold war against that blond mafia boss because it was our problem between us. He did not trust me and I would need to prove that I would not betray his little brother. The other guardians were unsure if it was okay for not interrupting but Tsuna believed that I could handle it.

To make it a fair game, Tsuna agreed to have my defect fixed so that I could avoid myself getting hurt by something I could not see. That, in case, if I would face Don Cavallone soon. Or anyone else who was going to burn me with their special life flames. 

I was currently writing down some important notes during the meeting between the Vongola and another allied family, discussing the expansion of their business in Sicily. It was a common topic because there were times I did take down notes on something a little 'violent'. For example, weapon trading. I tried not to be sleepy and concentrated hard on taking down the notes. The espresso I brewed last night did help me and it was Reborn's favourite type of coffee.

No wonder we were out of coffee beans that time. 

The meeting ended about an hour ago and all of us leaving the meeting room with our tired look. The brunet did not look tired at all but I could see his hand coming up to loosen his black necktie a little, telling me that he was exhausted. Who would not be tired after attending about three meetings?

"Ayano, may I know what is the next plan of the day?" the brunet asked formally. I checked through my tablet to see the schedule while walking at the same speed as him.

"The three technicians; Irie Shoichi, Spanner and Giannini will be coming to the Vongola's Headquarters at 3 p.m. sharp. And at 8 p.m. sharp, you will be having a meeting only with Reborn at Lavazza Cafe. That is all for today."

"Thanks," Tsuna gave a relieved sigh. "I don't think I can handle more meetings after this."

"At least you're doing well, Tsuna. I've arranged the meeting schedules so that you can have more rest."

"I shall take that as a compliment," he smirked at me. "Now about that three technicians, you are required to meet them as well with me, Hayato and Reborn. I think they want to see their current progress."

"Progress? What are they up to?" I raised my eyebrow with curiosity.

"To fix your defect, flame-blindness," he answered. "The three of them are surprised that they are going to make something rare for the people with this defect."

I wanted to say something but nothing came out from my mouth. I pursed my lips tightly and pretending to look over at my tablet. The brunet knew I was not saying anything and we soon returning to the headquarters.

There was a real reason why I could not see these life flames. Especially when it comes to different colours of a rainbow.

* * *

I was inside Tsuna's study room with Gokudera, Reborn and the brunet himself. I was nervous when the three technicians were coming to do something about my flame-blindness. Tsuna and Gokudera were discussing and the hitman kept on staring at me intently. 

As far as I remembered, I did not borrow any money from him. Why he kept on looking at me?

"You looked troubled, Segretario Minoru," his deep voice broke out the silence between us. 

"I'm not troubled. I'm just nervous," I answered.

"You are. Perhaps you need to be reminded that I can read people's mind," Reborn stated.

"Like how you read Tsuna's mind ten years back?" I stared back at him. "Or you can read his mind now?"

"I can only read his mind when he is completely free from his workload," his lips curved into a smirk. "Since you're not telling me, I might as well need to dig deeper into your brain."

"Okay, I'll tell. You're creeping me out," I looked back at him as if he was an annoying housefly. "I'm just thinking of the real reason why I can't see any special flames."

"Real reason? What are you trying to say?"

I was quiet. That was exactly I wanted to tell Tsuna earlier but I felt like I could not tell him. The look on Reborn's face was either curious, stern or concern. He was still eager to know my answer. 

"Flame-blindness is almost the same as colour-blindness. As soon as you're born into this world, you suddenly cannot get to see certain colours. But, for my defect that only a few people had suffered. It feels like you don't deserve to see this special flames."

"Why is that you don't deserve it?"

"I-I just...not sure why..."

The hitman gently placed his hand on my shoulder and gave a concerned look before he started to talk.

"I believe that Tsuna will have the answer for you one day. You can't just go and ask him for an immediate answer. When that day comes, he will show you something that you wanted to know so much. For this time being, you don't need to think further about your defect. Let the three of them help you to fix it."

I nodded at his statement and I decided not to think too much about it. We heard a door knock from outside and Tsuna called out for anyone to come in. The door opened and the three technicians were seen coming inside the study room.

The bespectacled red-hair named Irie Shoichi and the blond English named Spanner was currently working for the Gesso Famiglia (Byakuran's family) and the short, plump technician named Giannini was working for the Vongola. The three of them were teaming up together to help up with my flame-blindness and they came here with their possible inventions to see which one I suited up the most.

Giannini was thinking of creating a special eye drop where it gave me the ability to see the flames but Reborn immediately rejected that idea before Tsuna could say anything. The hitman mentioned that it would wear off quickly and it would be troublesome to apply often, thus damaging my eyesight. Spanner and Shoichi were considering building special glasses that not only can see through the flames, but it was able to analyse the power and intensity of the flames. Gokudera disagreed with it because the possibility of analysing the flame's power can be wrong and I could not always rely on that information. Lastly, the three of them had then introduced better contact lenses that could help me to see the flames. Spanner said that it was almost the same as Tsuna's contact lenses and Shoichi explained that the user would be able to see and feel the flames they touched, as it will send the information straight to the brain to tell the intensity of the flames.

By looking at my sheer confusion, Spanner offered me to try the contact lenses to test it out. I rarely even wear these lenses and had difficulty in wearing it. Tsuna came close to me and gently lifted my head upwards, the position that he would be able to put the lenses on my eyes. He was so close that my nose picked up the scent of the cologne he used.

It was always the same cologne he used but the scent was much stronger when he was standing closer to me. I felt like some butterflies flying inside my stomach and it made me more nervous.

"You reminded me of my old self, Ayano," Tsuna laughed softly as he picked up one of the lenses with his finger. "I was afraid to wear these lens years ago and I have to wear it on my own."

"I...I see..." I mumbled. His fingers then opened one of my eyes a little wider and bringing the lens closer. I was almost going to blink any second not because it was too dry. It felt like something was coming to poke my eye.

"Don't worry, this won't hurt much," he whispered and carefully placing the lens onto my eyes. Right after he did it, I blinked my eyes hard for a moment before he continued to place another one.

The lenses were in my eyes and I was trying to adjust, getting used to it. Shoichi did ask me if I was okay with it and I slowly got a little comfortable with it. My sight level was normal until Gokudera decided to test out the lenses' ability to see or detect the life flames. He lifted his right hand with those skull-shaped rings on his fingers and seconds later, the rings ignited five coloured flames much to my shock. There were red, green, blue, purple and yellow from those rings.

How was that possible??

"Did you see the flames here?" the silver-haired called out and I was still gaping before answering.

"Y-yes...five colours of it. Red, green, blue, purple and yellow."

"Great! It worked so well!" Giannini screeched with excitement.

"If she can see any Dying Will flames, then I see no further problems with those lenses," Spanner commented.

"We still have glasses here, which has the same function as the lenses. If you had forgotten to wear those lenses, you can wear the glasses for temporary," said Shoichi.

"Thanks, everyone," I bowed at them. "Is there any more flames I need to see?"

"There is more, but you'll get to see the common flames around soon enough," Reborn stated and he turned to look at the brunet. "Tsuna, aren't you going to show yours to your secretary?"

"Is that necessary?" 

"Just do it, or do you want me to shoot you with my bullets instead?"

"H-hey, it's fine..."

I tried to calm Reborn until my eyes turned to look at the brunet. He sighed, closing both of eyes and all of a sudden, the orange flames appeared from his forehead and his hands (or gloved hands). 

To add my surprise further, his eyes turned into different shades of orange, the same colour with his flames. He was so different from before and I thought he was on fire.

"T-Tsuna, are you alright??"

"I'm fine here," he answered and his voice was deeper than his usual tone.

"B-but, you're on fire!"

I think my heart had dropped when I saw his lips turned into a sadistic smile. This Tsuna was different from before. He walked towards me and I backed away quickly until I stood against the wall. He held out both of his burning gloved hands and placed at my cheeks. I screamed and realising that I did not feel any burn on my cheeks.

His flames were so warm and it somewhat had calmed me down.

"Feeling better now, Ayano?" he spoke out and I was staring back at his orange eyes. Despite being different, he was still that Tsuna I knew.

"I-I guess so..." I answered back.

"I'm glad to hear that," he said and he pulled his hands away from my face. It would not take a long time for him to deactivate his orange flames. 

After they had finally fixed my defect problem, I resumed my work, walking around with Tsuna about his work and his schedules. Sometimes, I could not help myself kept on looking at the brunet. It felt like telling me that he could turn into his different form anytime. 

Tsuna was indeed a kind man but when he turned into another person, he was much more dominating.

Holy crap, I should have focused on my work. Or better, focused more on how to convince Don Cavallone to accept me as his little brother's secretary.

But I could not forget his sadistic smile.

I need help here.


	11. Event

I was watching the news on my laptop and the tensed look on my face did not go away. The arson attack had been occurring not only in South Italy but in North Italy as well. The supposed culprit was yet to be caught and the arson attack had claimed many lives. Most of the victims were from the not-prominent mafia families. It made me think that this culprit hated mafia so much that they would commit this act. 

I took the tablet to check the next day's schedule and there was an only one-day event we need to attend. It was a charity event hosted by the newly elected mayor from one of the Italian states and he was inviting all the VIP's to attend this event. 

This included some famous families like the Vongola, Giglio Nero, Shimon and even Cavallone. I wondered if the new mayor knew that these families were from the mafia because I knew that these politicians would not want to be involved with the criminal organisation. With the recent arson attacks, I even confront Tsuna about this matter and I was not sure if it was the wisest decision to attend that event.

_"There is only one event for tomorrow. The charity event is organised by the newly elected mayor and he is inviting the Vongola Famiglia and some other prominent families to attend."_

_"Oh, the newly elected mayor? I heard that he has a lot of support from the citizens compared to his competitor. The charity event is going to be grand."_

_"But what about the arson attacks, Tsuna? What if the culprit targets us as they did to other mafia families?"_

_"Ayano, I'm sure that they are not going to attack the mayor's charity event since they hate mafia families."_

_"I don't think they are dumb enough to find out that the Vongola is from the mafia."_

I noticed that he was glaring at me and I quickly apologised.

_"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult. I'm just worried if we or anyone else become that attacker's next target."_

He sighed and gave a convincing smile at me while ruffling my hair gently.

_"I won't let that happen, Ayano. I will not let anyone die during that event."_

I looked at the time and it was getting late. I placed all my important things in my briefcase and getting ready to sleep early. I was not looking forward to that event but we had to attend. 

This was the starting of the day I would get myself involved with a dangerous mission. Or a job.

* * *

The charity event was held at the grand hotel located in Milan. It was quite far away from Sicily, the main reason why I need to sleep and get up early. I was half sleepy in the dark morning and I still need to make sure that everyone had breakfast before leaving. 

Aside from sleepy Tsuna, it took me a great effort to wake Lambo up and reminding him lots of times that we have an important event to attend. As soon I was done with this young guardian, I sped up straight to Tsuna's room to see if he was ready or not. He was already prepared and I was telling him that we had about thirty minutes before heading to Milan. 

"Wait for a second, Ayano," Tsuna grabbed my arm and I faced him instead of the door. I blinked confusedly until his hands pulled my necktie up and straightening it. "You've been busy, so I should at least help you to fix your crooked necktie."

"Y-you don't need to. I can do that by myself..." I said in my awkward tone.

"Why is that? Do you refuse my help?" he smirked at me.

"I'm not! I just...really appreciated your great help..." I smiled nervously at him. 

"Well then, let us be prepared for the long journey," he patted my shoulder and we left his room together.

All of us heading to the nearest airport where the private plane was there waiting for us. Tsuna had been informed by the pilot himself that the Varia had flown off to Milan before us. Yamamoto chuckled as he commented that he would get to meet Superbi Squalo soon and Tsuna was not looking forward to meeting the Varia boss, Xanxus. 

Both he and the Varia boss did not get along well ever since the Ring Conflict battle ten years ago and he only will come to help if the Vongola was in great danger. I was guessing that they were well prepared for Tsuna and others will be at there soon enough.

"Yamamoto, why are you so keen to meet up with Squalo?" I asked the Rain Guardian curiously.

"He's the one who taught me sword-wielding. I was first trained by my father and Squalo helped me to sharpen my skills. We may still be rivals but I find him tolerable compared to his boss."

"Really? I think that the Varia does not get along well with all of you."

"We got used to that," Yamamoto placed his hand on my shoulder. "I might as well give you some advice. You did not meet them yet but if you ever had that chance, I suggest you be careful when you're talking to them, especially Xanxus. The minute if he ever finds you as a threat, he will just shoot you to death. Ten times worse than Tsuna."

I nervously smile while listening to his statement. Someone who will help the Vongola turned out to be the scariest mafia boss. Or not a mafia boss because the Varia was an assassination elite group that acts secretly within the Vongola.

The private plane took us to Milan and we had been flying for more than one hour. I was just staring back at my phone to see the news update, in case of any arson attacks. The other guardians were talking to each other and the only one who remained quiet for the whole journey was Hibari. I was sitting beside him at the same time and I was slowly getting along with him. 

Slightly better than trying to talk to Xanxus.

I heard a conversation between Tsuna and Chrome. It seemed that they were talking about someone named Rokudo Mukuro, which came to my surprise that I had not been meeting him for half a year. Being the actual Mist Guardian himself, why he was absent from the headquarters for a long time?

"Did Mukuro contacted you recently about his possible return?"

"Yes, he did, Boss. He said that he was bound to return soon. Fran told me that he, Ken, Chikusa, M.M. and Mukuro-sama are done with their secret mission and then took his time dealing with his late grandmother's stuff."

"His late grandmother? Oh, I did hear that the Vindice had some last information about his grandmother who was once imprisoned for the crime she never committed."

"That is what he said, Boss. Once he is done, he will return to the headquarters."

I never knew that he had his only family member to deal with although she was no longer around. Gokudera once told me that this Mukuro tried to get close to Tsuna to possess his body to destroy the mafia that he hated the most. He was stained with hatred until the brunet defeated him, plus releasing him from the Vendicare prison.

I was hoping that Mukuro was not the one starting these arson attacks because he and the culprit hating the mafias as well.

The private plane landed at Milan and we saw the driver was waiting inside the black limousine. The new mayor had the transportation ready to take us to the grand hotel where the charity event was held. I did notice the difference between Milan and Sicily because in Milan, large buildings were everywhere and lots of tourists were here for sightseeing and there were luxurious shops around. 

For ladies out there who loved to shop, this would be your favourite spot.

As soon the limousine had arrived at the hotel entrance, we were surrounded by the photographers and journalists. And some crazy fangirls too. Lambo had told me that whenever we were outside the mafia world, these people see the Vongola as the famous business company where they could see Tsuna as the rising, talented entrepreneur. The brunet reminded me as well that I would act as his business administrator when we were outside the mafia world. Gokudera and I were blocking the fangirls away from Tsuna and they were more impressed to see two handsome men blocking their way.

I mentally reminded myself that I wanted to tell them that I was a woman. They would glare at me for getting too close with Tsuna.

We entered the hotel lobby and then to the large hall where all the guests were talking to each other. It felt like attending the awards ceremony because the women were seen wearing a luxurious dress that exposing half of their skin (especially their chest, back and their thighs!) and covered with expensive jewellery. 

I gave a dislike look at their appearance and I was far off better dressing up in the black suit that Haru made for me. The only thing that the rich men showed off their stuff were their gold watches, fountain pen and jewel rings on their fingers. I could not give my opinions about them since they were the mayor's important guests. 

We soon meet up with the Shimon Famiglia, Giglio Nero and Gesso Famiglia and the Cavallone Famiglia. To me, it looked like a school reunion party among us and Tsuna soon noticed that Dino was not around. Romario, Dino's right-hand man had mentioned that his boss went to the washroom and Tsuna smiled with relief. Reborn sarcastically said that the blond-haired boss might get himself lost without his subordinates around. 

As much how I disliked Dino Cavallone, why would Reborn said such thing to his former student.

So far, there was nothing happened during the charity event. It started with the new mayor's speech and later announcing the most promising contributors and how they helped the society, and the lucky draw. Just a boring event to me. 

I excused myself to the washroom and to my dismay, the washrooms on the main floor were full and I had to go to other floors to look for more washrooms. I ended up going to the tenth floor and I felt so relieved that the washroom at there was empty. 

Even better because I need to use the female washroom and if I bumped into any ladies at there, they would be screaming to see a guy entering the wrong washroom. I was done and I left the washroom until I heard a secret conversation from another hotel room. It was rather loud and I quietly approached the door to hear what were they talking about.

"I finally manage to gather all the famous mafia families. They are soon to be burnt in this grand building, a solid proof that we can cleanse away the dirt from this country."

"Are you sure about it? That Don Vongola is not someone you should look down at."

"He'd better know the mayor's real power to control this country. We don't want a criminal organisation like them to do whatever they want to harm the people here."

"But eliminating all of them at the same time is just too risky."

"This is my revenge for what they had done to my beloved family. I won't let these pests live."

I was dumbfounded. The real culprit was that newly elected mayor and he was going to burn this building to kill everyone here. I was about to leave when my phone suddenly rang. The mayor screamed when he found out that someone was eavesdropping his conversation. 

I quickly ran straight to the lift and frantically pressed the button to shut the lift's door. That mayor could not make it see who was the one listening and I even pressed the button to the main floor, praying hard that this lift would not stop on any floors.

It did stop at one floor and the lift's door was opened. I only saw someone passing by and my heart went as cold as an ice.

Dino Cavallone had seen me and he was surprised as well. I did not want to deal with him yet because I need to tell Tsuna about what I heard. The blond was quick and had managed to stop the lift's door from closing. 

He was giving a victorious smirk on me.

"I've told you before that I will find you again."

I was so dead.


	12. Culprit

I was stuck in the lift with Don Cavallone at a very wrong time. I had no time to deal with him and I did try to push him out from the lift but it was too late. He hastily went in and the lift's doors were closed. Only both of us, staring at each other with the lift going down to where I should be going.

"Okay, you've found me. What are you going to do?" I asked to break the awkward silence between us.

"To continue where we left off," Dino answered with his arrogant tone. "It seems that you still have your right arm back. I thought that you're losing it."

"Your ability to 'freeze' my right arm gives me a freaking heart attack!" I snapped angrily. "It is lucky that Byakuran could fix that damage I suffered."

"But what are you going to do when it happens again? You can't even see any flames and he is not always around to help you."

"Are you implying that I will be dead for sure?"

"If I can help you with that."

Before his hand could ever touch the bullwhip at his waist, I quickly waved my hands at him to warn him that something bad was about to happen.

"Yeah, if you want to kill me, I will allow you to do so! But please, not now! We are all in deep trouble!"

"What the hell are you talking about??"

"That mayor! He's the one who is responsible for all the recent arson attacks and he's planning to kill off the Vongola and other mafia families!"

"H-How did you know-"

"There's no time for questioning! We need to get back to Tsuna now before the mayor does something!"

Dino was slightly confused and I was trying so hard to explain until the lift suddenly stopped moving, leaving both of us in total darkness. I knew this would happen because the mayor was trying to stop me from informing others about the upcoming arson attack. I took out my phone to try to call Tsuna or Gokudera but there was no line. I realised that it gave notice of a poor connection. 

"It looks like the mayor had started his move," the blond suddenly commented in the dark. "Because he knows a possible eavesdropper is escaping using the lift, so he tried to stop the lifts from functioning."

"Damn it!" I cursed angrily. "If I knew this would happen."

"What are you talking about?" 

"If I knew that this charity event would be the arsonist's target, I would have..."

"Have what? Stopping Tsuna from attending this event?"

"Exactly! Now that he's going to be dead in this burning building and it's all my fault!"

"It would be better if you're not badmouthing about my little brother..." Dino muttered with dislike.

"I'm not talking bad about your brother! I'm just stating what I want to say!"

"It's not even happening yet and stop being so negative!"

"It's your fault for trying to kill me off earlier!"

"And why the hell is my fault now?!"

"Because you don't trust me!!"

We stopped yelling at each other and panted, staring at each other with exhaustion. I had not been yelling so loud in my life and I knew that I would be dead sooner. I caught myself arguing with Don Cavallone, forgetting the real purpose of making him trust me. 

I could not waste more time and I turned away from him to look for an exit. I saw an exit hatch above us and it seemed to be the only escape from this trapped lift.

"What are you doing?" Dino asked curiously.

"Getting out from here..." I answered back and tried reaching out for that hatch.

"I know what you're doing but we need to think of a proper plan."

"I've told you I can't waste more time here-"

Before I could finish my sentence, the blond suddenly dragged me aside and pinned me against the lift's wall while he pressed his body against mine to make sure that I would not struggle further. My eyes widened in shock and I was completely speechless with his sudden action. At the same time, my face was burning with strong embarrassment. He was glaring at me before he started to talk with his low tone.

"As I say, we need to think of a better plan to escape from here. Didn't you ever realise that this lift has a hidden camera installed here? He's been watching our movements and is waiting for a chance to kill us here."

I was still silent, suffering from the shock in my brain.

"So, please, calm down for a moment. Let me remind you that Tsuna will be doing fine and he knows what to do if he finds out this will happen."

Again, I was quiet and he threw a frustration look at me.

"Can't you just respond to me than keeping yourself quiet here?"

"I-I will..." I stuttered. "...if you can just...let go of me..."

Dino was rather confused when I said that until he realised what he had done. His eyes slowly scanning from my head to my feet and later widened in shock as well. He immediately released me, backing away from me. I refused to look at him for a moment and tried to calm myself down. 

"Why you didn't tell me that...that you're a woman??" I did hear him stutter as well and I slowly stared back at him.

"Because...I thought you know..." I muttered.

"You completely dressed up as a guy! How am I supposed to know that you're a woman??" he said with a flabbergasted tone.

"Even so, is there anything wrong to find out that I am a woman?" I asked curiously.

"If...If Reborn knew how I treated you that way, he's going to kill me..." he sighed. "I mean, being a true Italian gentleman, I am not supposed to hit women, or treated them harshly."

"You're just the same as Reborn. He found out who I was after beating the sh*t out of me months ago."

I had never seen how depressed Dino was. I could not believe that he would be feeling so bad for attacking a woman. I admit that it was my fault too for not telling him who I was. 

Since he knew it, then we had to do something important.

"If you still want to test me, I will let you do so. But for now, we need to get out from here and inform Tsuna about the mayor."

"Yeah, you're right. We need to destroy that camera first before escaping from here," Dino took out his bullwhip and tried to smash that camera with his weapon. 

All of a sudden, he slipped, getting hit instead and fell straight on the floor. I flinched with shock to see his serious clumsiness, especially that he was Don Cavallone. What was happening to him?

_"He is exceptionally clumsy without his men around."_

I mentally laughing after remembering Reborn's comment about his former student. It was true after all.

"Are...are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm fine...don't worry..." Dino sat up and rubbed his reddened nose. "Maybe I just go overboard with my attack."

"I think it'll be better if I place a decoy on that camera. Those who are looking at it would see no one and nothing happened in this lift. We might be able to exit safely after this."

Don Cavallone agreed with my idea and he had managed to place the decoy on the camera. Since that he was much taller than me, he successfully opened the lift's hatch and climbed out from there. He offered his hand to me so that he could pull me out from the lift as well. We look around the shaft and it was quite dark from inside. There were no signs of any fire and we guessed that the mayor was ready to kill everyone. We soon tried to pry open the lift's door with all our strength and jumped out from the dark shaft. 

Both of us were now on the hotel's fifth floor and we need to get back to the main floor. I thought it was quiet on the fifth floor's hallway until I heard some rushing footsteps coming to us. Dino knew better as he grabbed my arm quickly and walking off from there at a fast speed.

"He's probably sending his bodyguards to look for us. We need to act like a lost dating couple here," he whispered and I flinched with shock upon his plan.

"L-lost dating couple? With me wearing like a guy?"

"Oh, I forgot. Then just as friends who got lost looking for the room."

When we did start walking further, there were people following us from behind but we did not look back to see who they were. Both of us kept moving until we saw the exit sign. Dino saying out loud to indicate that we were both losing our way to the hotel room ("Oh, we're still lost! Maybe we should just go and ask the receptionist!"). I just tag along and we got through the exit in a nick of time. We just ran down the stairs as fast as we could but Dino only ended up tripping and fell from the stairs. I turned around and I was horrified to see him stumbling in a bad way. I went to him and he was gripping his left ankle with a pained look on his face. 

Why would he become so _useless_ at this time?

"D-Don Cavallone, are you alright?" I asked with worry as my eyes fixed at his ankle.

" _Si,_ I'm fine-" Dino suddenly hissed when the injury pain stung his ankle. "Ah, I can't believe that I'll end up having an accident like this..."

"I'll help you up. We're almost reaching the main floor."

"No, we won't make it. They're chasing us down. You go ahead and inform Tsuna about this."

"I can't leave you here! Those men are bound to kill you off!"

"I'll be fine...I can fight them off while you go."

"I am not leaving someone injured here especially that you're Tsuna's older brother."

Dino's eyes froze after hearing my firm statement as if he had not heard of it for many years. We were soon being surrounded by the mayor's bodyguard and they were being ordered to kill both of us. When they started to move, I quickly fight them off and preventing from going nearer the injured blond. Thanks to Hibari's tough training, I managed to beat these men down in a short time. The faster the better, so that I could bring Dino out and inform the brunette.

However, I let my guard down. 

I had beaten the last one standing and I was being shot at my right leg. I fell to the ground and screamed with pain, gripping my injured leg. Blood was oozing out from the shot wound and my leg was somewhat paralysing. With my lenses' help, I saw some life flames covering my injured leg. It was the same as what Dino had done to my right arm.

"So, you're the one who's been listening to my plans."

I slowly turned around and the mayor was grinning with his evil look. He was rather tall and he looked quite young to be a politician. He was holding his pistol and was ready to shoot me off. I glared at him with anger, thinking of his evil scheme.

"Why are you doing this...and where did you get that weapon?"

"Oh, this special weapon?" the mayor spoke with his cocky tone. "It was specially given to me so that I can use it to eliminate the mafia families. Since they were the reason why my family members died."

"Your family members will not come back alive even after you kill them. I am certain that they are not happy with this crime you've committed. You're just the same as the criminals."

The mayor was snapped with anger and his large hand went on to choke me. I coughed and gasped for air, almost crying with the pain I was suffering. He smirked darkly and pointing his pistol at my temple, getting his finger ready to pull the trigger.

"You don't have the right to talk about my dead family, kid. And you even dare to compare me with this filthy mafia. It seems that you're surely looking forward to seeing the light after my bullet here goes through your delicate head. You don't need to worry about everyone else here. They are soon to join you after I burn them to ashes."

I gritted my teeth and I was almost prepared to die any moment since his pistol was aimed at my temple.

All of a sudden, the mayor's hand was whipped by something hard and he howled with pain. The pistol dropped and he released my throat quickly. I was collapsing and someone caught me in time. I could see a bloodied gash at the mayor's hand and he was screaming. I weakly looked up and I could see Don Cavallone was glaring at the mayor with his dark look. He completely ignored his sprained ankle and get his bullwhip ready to attack him.

"You've hurt Don Vongola's secretary and he will not forgive anyone who tries to harm her."

He gripped my shoulder tightly. He was serious about his statement.

"And so do I."


	13. Weapon

Almost everyone said that a dangerous job was usually offered with higher pay. Such as working late night shifts in the convenience stores, fast food restaurants, bars and other places. People who took late-night shifts were vulnerable to any possible incidents like robberies.

However, in my position, it was worse than robbery.

I was about to inform Tsuna that the mayor was the culprit behind all the arson attacks and he was planning to do the same to all of us. Don Cavallone and I had escaped from the lift and we were surrounded by the mayor's men. I had to beat all of them to protect him only to get myself shot at my leg by that man himself. I thought I was going to die until Dino came to save my life. Despite his sprained ankle, he was willing to handle that pain to prevent me from being killed by that mayor.

I felt much dizzier and somewhat uncomfortable with that flame inside my wounded leg. The blond boss placing me in another spot where I would not get hurt while he was dealing with that mayor. I wanted to stay awake to watch them but I felt like I was heavily sedated. I ended up falling asleep and the last thing I heard was the mayor screaming in agony.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing in the hospital where my mother stayed. I was already confused since I was not supposed to meet her after I agreed to work with the Vongola Famiglia. I remembered that I was still in the hotel with Dino trying to beat up that mayor. At the same time, I missed her so much. I went straight to the room she stayed and slide the door open only to see that she was peacefully reading a book. It was like nothing bad happened to her and I approached, trying my best to give an assuring smile.

"M-mother?"

She looked up at me with her surprised look.

"Oh, [Name]! It's been long."

"Y-yeah, I've been away for too long," I replied with rather an exhausted tone. My mother's hand gently touched my cheek with her comforting warm smile.

"You look tired. Have you been overworking lately?"

"I-I'm fine, mother!" I tried to smile back to her so that I could not worry about her further. "Tsuna and others are nice to me, so I've been doing fine with my job."

"I'm so glad to hear that, [Name]. You've been working hard. You even struggle a lot ever since your father's death."

We talked and I could not help myself placing my head on her shoulder. My mother still went on telling about my past life before she began to sing her favourite song. I hummed and I even followed her singing tune until I found myself falling asleep. It was so relaxing that I had forgotten what was supposed to happen. 

Then, I felt a sharp pain in my leg and I screamed.

I woke up quickly and my eyes were fixed at Don Cavallone who was bandaging my wounded leg with a white cloth that he tore off from his shirt. Whether I was still awake or not, I could see some tattoos on his body and his arm, written his family name. But my brain was more focusing on the pain I had from my wounded leg and I screamed again. 

"It's okay now, you're going to be fine," Dino calmed me down with his soothing tone and I was trying not to think about that pain.

"W-What about that mayor?" I asked while taking some deep breaths.

"I've beaten him, but since he's not into the mafia, I just knocked him down and tied him up for a moment," he answered as he turned to look at that unconscious mayor to make sure the other was not waking up. "I've called Tsuna to come over here after dealing with him."

"I-if he's not into mafia...what about his weapon?"

"I guess that he had paid a large amount of cash to get this weapon so that he could try wiping off the mafia. I've removed the bullet inside your wound to avoid that mysterious flame weakening your state."

"I-I don't think I've seen that flame before..."

"Don't worry about that. You're safe for now. You just need to have your wound treated."

Dino knew about that mysterious flame but he did not want to tell me further. I was about to ask when the staircase door was open and Tsuna was panting with his worried look on his face. His other guardians arrived as well and they were surprised with what they had seen. Ryohei knelt to treat my wound with his Sun flames while Gokudera and Yamamoto were staring back at that unconscious mayor. Tsuna knelt as well to check my wound and my condition.

"Ayano, you have me worried. Are you alright??" the brunet asked quickly.

"I'm fine..." I answered and he gripped my shoulders tightly. 

"You should have called me earlier. Why you didn't do it before anything bad happen to you??"

"I-"

"It's my fault, Tsuna. I've been bothering her before she could try to call you about that mayor," Don Cavallone spoke up as soon he realised Tsuna's worry.

"Bothering her?"

"As soon I've seen her, I thought of wanted to deal with her after our last meeting. But we ended up trapped in the lift and there was no connection when she tried to call any of you. The mayor was in his move to kill the eavesdropper before he could set this place on fire."

"I...I see..." Tsuna sighed with relief and the grip of his hands had loosened. 

"I'm sorry, Tsuna. I wanted to call you..." I spoke out with a pained look on my face.

"No, it's fine. Since Dino has explained to me, I am much relieved, " Tsuna gave a small smile at me and he gently touched my cheek to ease my pained look. "You will get more rest after this, Ayano. Don't overthink anything."

The guests and the mafia families were safe while the Varia had caught all of the mayor's men and the reporters from different stations were crowding over to get the latest news. The mayor had been arrested after admitted that he was the culprit behind all the arson attacks. The reporters indeed tried to question Tsuna and other CEO companies (as in mafia family leaders) about the incident but they managed to escape from them, leaving Milan and heading back to Sicily. 

We soon arrived back at the headquarters and all of us were so exhausted. I was about to walk back to my room, limping and thinking of what I should do next.

"Didn't I tell you to rest, Ayano?"

Before I could speak or react, I was being lifted in a bridal style and I could see that Tsuna was the one carrying me. I was struggling, telling him to let me walk on my own but he did not listen. He just walked without even thinking of how tired he was and then went inside my room. He placed me on my bed and I was still feeling bewildered at everything.

"I'm going to have you getting a rest for these few days. In the meantime, do not try to start doing your work."

"I-how can I do that?? I need to deal with the paperwork and your schedule-"

Tsuna leaned to my ear and his fingers creeping around my neck. I immediately stopped talking and I was breathing heavily when he did that. I was thinking if he purposely did that to shut my mouth but this was way too awkward.

"Did you intend to disobey my orders?" he whispered with his low voice and his fingers lightly tapping against my neck.

"...n..." I lost my voice since I was unable to talk.

"I can't hear you, [Name]..." he whispered again and I could feel that he was smirking.

"...N-no...I won't...disobey your orders..." I stuttered.

"Good," he sat up straight and smirking back at me. "I'll have Hayato to take over your place for these few days until you are fully recovered. Take your time to rest."

Tsuna then stood up and walked swiftly to the door. As I was making sure that he had left my room, I buried my face in the pillow and I screamed. With all the sudden actions Tsuna had done, I was confused and embarrassed. Reborn would laugh at me if he knew about it and I would think that Dino would be laughing as well while being supportive of his little brother for making a daring move. 

I never asked for this to have his fingers touching my neck and his seductive voice whispering in my ear-!

Why did I ever talk or think about this??

* * *

Few days had passed and it seemed that I had forgotten about it. The newspapers were printed with news about the mayor's arrest for the arson attacks and the attempt one in Milan. There were also the interviews with the guests, saying that the mayor's bodyguards were stopping them from escaping and they even hurt some of those who tried to oppose them. With Dino's help, he managed to record the mayor's plan when I was about to get killed. Surely it would be a chaotic issue in the politic world but I care less about that.

I was still thinking about the mysterious flame that had weakened me. Dino refused to tell me, and I bet Gokudera would not tell me, so my only choice was to ask Tsuna. He was done signing off all the paperwork and passed all of them to me for submission. 

"There, all done," the brunet sighed with relief as he stretched his arms. "I can finally get some rest for the whole day."

"Well, good for you," I commented while arranging the papers and checking back the schedule. "You have no other meetings or events to attend for today."

"Great, I'm about to do something else anyway," Tsuna replied and he then flipping some pages of his diary.

Even when I did have the chance, I could not bring myself to ask him something that I wanted to know. I excused myself and was about to leave his study room until I heard him asking me.

"Do you want to talk to me, Ayano?"

"Uh, no."

"If you have anything to ask, please do so. It seems something is bothering your mind, am I right?"

Damn, he knew what I was thinking. I sighed and placing back the papers and the tablet onto the other table before I sat in front of his desk. He was still looking at his diary but he indeed was waiting for me to talk.

"About that day when the mayor shot my leg, I saw an unfamiliar life flame inside my wound. It was weakening my current state and Dino had managed to remove the bullet to avoid that flame from spreading my whole body. I did ask him but he did not want to tell me."

" _Fratello_ knew what that flame is and he did not tell you because he does not wish to alarm you about it."

"What is so alarming about that flame?" I asked curiously. "Is it even worse than weakening my strength or what?"

The brunet did not say anything for about one minute before he closed his diary. He sighed and turned to look at me with a mixture of seriousness and worry. He looked like he did not want to tell me but he still would explain to me.

"Reborn and Hayato had told me not to tell you about this. But it is up to my choice whether I would tell or not. You have the absolute right to know about that mysterious flame."

"You going to tell me?"

"You wanted to know about it, don't you?"

I nodded my head and stared back at him as if I was waiting for a lecturer to give his speech lessons. Tsuna loosened his black necktie and had his steady look to explain the whole thing.

"I assume that you've known about the secrets of Arcobaleno, the seven strongest special infants. Reborn and Yuni were one of them before their curse were completely removed with the help from the Vindice and the Checker Face. While it had been settled ten years ago, there was one Arcobaleno member who had been staying in that curse for the rest of their lives."

"You mean like, the eighth Arcobaleno?"

"The eighth refers to Bermuda, the leader among all the Vindice guards. You can say that there is another Arcobaleno member."

"The ninth one? Could they be the one who possesses that mysterious flame?"

"Yes, that flame belongs to a certain Snow Arcobaleno."


	14. Winter

I learnt about the Arcobaleno, seven strongest people in the world who were chosen to be special infants that will stay in their form for the rest of their lives. Reborn and Yuni were once an Arcobaleno. These infants were chosen to protect the world balance, hence the Trinisette. The seven of them (including Colonello, Skull, Fong, Viper/Mammon and Verde) plus the corrupted member Lal Mirch have freed from their curse all thanks to the old man Talbot, Checker Face (it was uncle Kawahira all along), the Vindice and also to Tsuna.

If it was not because of this brunet, they would have died and another new set of Arcobaleno was chosen.

However, except for Bermuda, there was one that will stay in that curse for the rest of their lives. It was someone I never heard of and even all the former Arcobaleno recently learnt about that Snow Arcobaleno's existence. 

"None of you heard of that Arcobaleno?" I asked curiously. 

"I only started to learn about his existence after a year I took over the Vongola Famiglia. Most of the rival families were getting mysterious weapons from a certain family named Inverno Famiglia. You will need to pay lots of money to get his weapons. He lived somewhere in cold mountains of Northern Italy, or to be precise, Monte Bianco," Tsuna explained.

"The only coldest place in Italy? So he lived there for all this time?"

"I heard a certain rumour that he had been friends to Kawahira and Yuni's ancestor, Sepira. It seemed that something had gone wrong that Kawahira had placed this curse that only Snow Arcobaleno will suffer for the rest of their lives. He will go ageless after his time had stopped and if he tried to move on, he will die most brutally compared to other Arcobaleno members."

"Let me guess, he must be keeping a deep grudge against that Kawahira, right?"

"I have no idea, but he might hate him like how Bermuda hated that man. Usually, I don't want to get involved with him. To think that he sold his weapons to that mayor who does not have any mafia background, this is quite fishy."

"You're planning to meet him?"

"I'll be going to the hotel where I will be meeting him there. Hayato is supposed to come with me but he suddenly fell ill. I heard from Takeshi that he had just eaten a homemade dessert made by Bianchi."

I felt sorry for him when I heard him being poisoned with his sister's cooking. He was usually aware of that kind of danger but I guess that he thought it was made by someone else. Haru once told me that she was a great woman she had ever met.

"I see, but there's no way you'll head there alone, right?"

"I did think of that."

"Then, can I come with you?"

The brunet shot his disapprove look at me and I knew he was going to say no. He was the type of person who will not place anyone else in danger, especially after I was shot by that mayor with the bullet made by that certain Snow Arcobaleno.

"I think you do know why am I looking at you that way," the brunet responded.

"I know and I do not want you to go alone either."

"I can just look for someone else-"

"All your guardians are busy with their secret missions. I've checked their schedules and you did tell me last night about them," I quickly interrupted.

"There's no way I could let you come with me to meet someone like him."

"Please, Tsuna. Just let me come with you."

Before he could reply, we heard someone entering the study room and I could see who was coming. It was none other than the hitman himself, Reborn.

"Why not bring her along, Tsuna? She is your secretary."

"Yes, I know that, but-"

"She is much a tougher young woman compared to the one who broke the omerta. You're not telling me that you would not let her follow you because she's a woman?" asked Reborn coldly.

"No, it's not like that!" Tsuna snapped and he tried not to burst out his frustrated feelings. "I would not put her aside just because she's a woman. But rather, I don't want her to get hurt again after the incident at Milan."

"Tch, what an excuse," Reborn scoffed. "I know your actual reason, Tsuna. So, don't try to hide it from me."

I had a feeling that a war might happen, so I quickly grabbed Tsuna's arm to make him look at me instead of his former tutor.

"Tsuna, I appreciated your thoughts but I'm fine. I am ready to face these dangers after I accepted this job," I smiled back at the brunet. "Though I would not expect to see any guns or pistols later on."

"Ayano, I-"

"I've protected Dino when he was hurt back in Milan. It's just enough for me to gain his trust. Those mayor's men are as easy as those delinquents I've met back in my school years."

Arguing to each other might took forever and he decided to let me follow him to meet up with the Snow Arcobaleno. I even asked if Reborn would want to come along only for him to say no. He mentioned that he rather not meet up with someone as troublesome as Skull (his 'junior' whom he used to bully when they were still under that curse, even after they became adults).

Sometimes, I was rather curious about meeting up with that person and sometimes, I was regretting a little for some reason.

* * *

Both of us head straight to a five-star hotel located somewhere in Rome and he was the one driving instead of our usual driver. Probably he did not want to attract more attention from other people. Even so, almost everyone knew who he was since it was a place where most of them were from mafia families. They would not dare to mess up with the Vongola boss. 

We soon arrived at the hotel lobby and asked the receptionist about a guest named Pietro Inverno. Yes, that was his name and she said that he had been staying in a VIP room about two hours ago. We were given the directions to his room and walked to his spot cautiously. Who knew if we got ambushed by any of his men?

While most of the mafia members wore black or darker coloured suits, these men stood in front of that VIP room wore a very pale white suit. Not only that surprised me, but those men were also so young! Like they were just before reaching 30 years old!

I wanted to ask the brunet if we were about to meet up with a wrong person, considering that we might see the pop idol instead. One of them blocked our way with his arm and glared at us before asking.

"State your name and your business with the Inverno boss."

"Sawada Tsunayoshi, the tenth boss of Vongola Famiglia," the brunet spoke with his firm tone. "I am here to speak to your boss regarding the rumour about him selling the weapons to the newly-elected mayor of Milan."

The other seemed to had his mind snapped when Tsuna said something bad about his boss. He avoided himself from arguing with the brunet and responded to Tsuna's statement.

"I am sure that you have made a mistake. My boss wouldn't have sold the weapons to a mere people like that mayor."

"I'm afraid he did. That mayor had shot my secretary with a pistol he bought from the Inverno boss. I've found some traces of the snow flame from the bullet and that had certainly weakened my secretary's state."

The other was about to retort when we heard a certain voice coming from inside the room he and the other men were guarding. That voice sounded much younger than I expected. Was he going to be in the form of a special infant-like Reborn used to be?

"Just let them in. I do not want my guests to stand outside for too long."

The door soon opened and both me and Tsuna were first welcomed with a gust of extremely, cold wind. It did not come from the air conditioner, it just happened to be so icy cold. I was freezing like mad that I hug myself tightly to keep myself warm. It did not work and I repeatedly sneezed. This room was freaking as cold as I was in Antarctica. The brunet turned to me with worry as he took off his black coat and covered my body with it. I raised my eyebrow with surprise when he did it.

"W-what about you?? There's no w-way you can stand t-this freezing room w-without your c-coatt..." I spoke with my chattering teeth. Tsuna just simply smiled and gently patted both of my cold cheeks.

"It is your fault that you're coming along, Ayano."

Oh, now he was blaming me? I gave a childish pout at the brunette and he gave a light laugh.

"I can keep myself warm, so you don't need to worry about me. I can't afford to have you getting cold or no one is going to help me dealing with paperwork."

"...fine then..." I gave a light sigh and stared back at him, failing to notice the redness of my ears. "T-thanks for your coat, Tsuna..."

We soon walked further in until my eyes fixed at a blue-haired teenage boy who was seen sitting on the couch while reading a book. His skin tone was strangely pale and he was wearing a white turtleneck polo shirt that matched his soft dark blue scarf. 

I saw a bluish crystal-like pacifier hung around his neck.

I had never seen Arcobaleno pacifiers before but I could guess that he must be Pietro Inverno, the Snow Arcobaleno and the boss of Inverno Famiglia. Both Tsuna and I then took a seat on a couch facing the other.

The teenage boy gave a bored sigh and placed the book beside the table before looking at us with his curious blue eyes.

"Ciao, Vongola Decimo. What brings you here to this fine day?"

"You heard it from outside the room, don't you? I'm here to talk about the weapons you sold to that newly-elected mayor from Milan," Tsuna's tone sounded like he was going to give a proper lecture to Pietro. "And do you need to set up your surroundings until it is way too cold for anyone to handle?"

"Sicily is damn hot than where I come from. I would die of dehydration. Even a small ray of sunlight could have killed me," Pietro complained before his lips turned into a small smirk. "Why is that you ask? Worrying about your precious dear secretary? I can see that you are willingly giving away your coat to keep herself warm. That is something a boss- no, a _gentlemanly boyfriend_ would do."

"Enough of this, Pietro. You're way too young to know about a love relationship," the brunet gave an annoyed look. I could feel my blood rising to my ears and my cheeks.

"Too young??" the blue-haired seemed to feel offended. "Okay, I know that I still look like a teenager but not my brain, Decimo. I live much longer than any other Arcobaleno."

"Is that so?" Tsuna's lips turned into a devilish smile. "It's not that you live much longer than Reborn and others, you just won't grow up. Or should I say...you're too afraid to grow up."

Pietro's eyes burn with fury as he held out his hand and a large sharp icicle was formed. The tip was now almost touching Tsuna's neck and I gave a horrifying look at them. I was about to help when Pietro glared at me. That such glare was not something to joke about, especially when he was angry.

"You'd better not doing anything or I'll cut his neck off."


	15. Past

To help or not to help. That was my current question.

I was sitting here watching the 'death-like' scene between Tsuna and Pietro. The brunet offended his feelings, so he was quite angered that he was using his sharp icicle to try slitting Tsuna's neck. I was warned not to interfere with both of them. I was shaking due to fear and cold. I need to do something to help Tsuna but in this situation that if I move an inch, he would be dead in a millisecond.

Damn it, Vongola Decimo. Why were you trying to make things worse? Gokudera would not hesitate to kill Pietro off if he was here instead of me.

Tsuna shifted his gaze to look at me and I was confused because he could stay calm in this scary situation. The soft look in his eyes was telling me that everything was going to be fine and that I should not worry about. I allowed myself to trust him but the nervousness would not leave me alone. I just stay focused and look at them to see how it went. 

"Why is all this sudden? Are you angry at me for calling you a coward?" Tsuna calmly spoke and had his eyes looking back at the angered Pietro.

"You got the nerve to question about my curse, Decimo," the blue-haired moved the icicle which the sharp tip was now touching Tsuna's neck. "Do I look like I do not want to grow up like all of the normal humans?"

"I understand that, Pietro. It is your desired wish to grow up but you just can't fulfil it. Because once you did it, you will face your ultimate death."

Pietro's face had gone pale when he heard about the fate of his curse. His hand was shaking through the icicle he was holding was still at the brunet's neck. Tsuna's eyes soften and gently moved the icicle away from his neck.

"You can hate Checker Face as much as you want, but keeping the deep grudge is not even healthy for yourself. I bet your father doesn't want you to act like this."

"Since when he did care about me when he passed this damn curse to me??" Pietro snarled. 

"Since you're born," the brunet answered. "Your father was much more aware of his curse but he chose to move on to have a family. Or he would have been just trapped in his own time like you are now. He did wish that he could remove this curse but he had no choice."

After some advice from Tsuna, Pietro sighed and removed the icicle away from him. He sat down and gave a long face, still questioning his father's actions in his mind. I was the one feeling so glad that there was no bloody war between them. Pietro was just a kid but his power were the ones you cannot be messed up with.

"Tsuna, why would you want to provoke him in the first place?" I asked curiously.

"I often make fun of him but I never expected that he would be in a foul mood. He usually would argue back at me," he explained and he was giving a nervous smile.

"If Gokudera knew about this, he would slaughter Pietro."

"And I'm expecting you to keep this secret from him. Besides, Pietro can never hurt me. He knows my mood and I made a word with his father that I would take care of him."

"You know his father?"

"I knew him after I learnt about Snow Arcobaleno's existence. He was already dying due to his curse and had passed it to his only son."

"You said that the bearer of this curse will face ultimate death for trying to move on. So how did his father died?"

"That alone...I don't think I can answer."

Maybe he would not want to tell me in front of Pietro, or it would be better if I did not know about it. The room temperature was so desperately cold and I wrapped Tsuna's coat around me tightly. Tsuna then stared back at Pietro and he was seriously going to ask about his connection with the newly-elected mayor.

"So, Pietro. I assume that you're now calm and I will ask you some questions. Why would you sell your weapons to that mayor?"

The other gave a clueless look and shrugged. "Well, he asked for it. He paid a large amount of money and I sell it to him."

"You can only sell to other mafia families. I don't care if they are an ally or rival to me but selling to someone who is not from mafia family is something you should not do."

"Yeah, I know that."

"Then why exactly you did it?"

Pietro was trying not to answer that question but he could not stand of how Tsuna was glaring at him.

"He told me that he wanted revenge against the mafia who took all his family member's life. I rejected him even after he prepared a large sum of money. And that was when he talked about the curse I was carrying for the rest of my life."

Both me and Tsuna were in shock. How could that a normal person knew about Pietro's curse? The Trinisette, Arcobaleno, mafia...every of these were meant to keep hidden from the other people's knowledge.

"And because of that, you sold your weapons to him?" Tsuna asked sternly.

"Wait, hold on. I know you're angry there," Pietro quickly explained. "Yes, I did sell it to him when he talked about my curse and he said that he would tell further after he was done eliminating the mafias. I know he was partially lying, so I only gave him the lowest grade weapons to him. It's not going to kill anyone if he used it."

"Oh? That bullet coated with your snow flames did weaken Ayano's condition when she got shot."

"It's not weakening, it was meant to put someone off to a temporary sleep."

"E-excuse me??" I blurted out with confusion and both of them turned to look at me. "I'm sorry, but...h-how do it making me sleep w-when I felt like I w-was given heavy sedatives??"

"That bullet is similar to other Dying Will bullets and I called it Snow Dream bullet. The person who got shot with this bullet will not die. Instead, they were put to sleep for temporary. With the snow element, they will experience some sort of a dream that they either want or not want to see."

"That means...in the dream where I could get to see my mother...it's because of this bullet?"

"I take that as you fully understand the power of that bullet." 

I did not know if Pietro was a good or bad person but since Tsuna was assigned to take care of him, then I could consider him as an ally. He still did not know how that mayor knew about the mafia secret since Dino already defeated him. Maybe Tsuna would personally or telling Gokudera to question that mayor. The brunet excused himself to use the washroom as he left both of us in the living hall. 

The awkward silence between me and Pietro. All I knew that it was just getting colder and I want to leave this room as fast as possible.

"What makes you decided to work with Decimo?" the blue-haired suddenly asked.

"Uhh, I just want a permanent job t-to pay m-my mother's medical b-bill..." I answered.

"Even if you have to leave her alone?" 

"My mother g-gave me the chance since she did not want me to forever stick up with her..."

"As a normal person, don't you think that you know too much about mafia secrets?"

"That is why I cannot break the omerta."

"Well, you're far better than his previous secretary," Pietro sighed. "Aside from your mother's medical bill, is there any other reason why you worked for him?"

I raised my eyebrow with curiosity when he asked that. Sounded like a trap.

"Why are you asking that way?"

"I'm just wondering," Pietro gave a small smirk. "Do you like him?"

"W-what?!" I exclaimed with shock. "He's just my boss, that's all!"

"Just your boss, huh..." he rubbed his chin. "I noticed that your face will go extremely red when he got close to you. Like when he helped you to wear the contact lenses, adjusting your posture of standing or...seductively telling you to get some rest."

I completely forgot of who was I talking to because I accidentally yelled at him as if he was a nosy child.

"H-how did you know about this?! You weren't t-there! Did you have an eye at the back of my head?"

"I don't need an eye or someone else to watch you," Pietro laughed at my reaction, plus my reddened face. "Everything is already written in your history life and that's how I see it."

"My history life? D-does that mean you can see the past?"

"I'm the opposite of the Sky Arcobaleno. While they can foresee the future, I can only see the past of people's lives."

This was slightly embarrassing. A teenager who knew that I had a deep crush on Tsuna. Yes, I slowly had my feelings built up inside my heart and I grew even to care more for him. 

Was that a love when you had feelings for someone you like?

"It's a good thing you might in love with Decimo but didn't you know that he used to like a girl when he was 14?" Pietro piped in.

"W-what? He used to like someone?" I asked and I grew disappointed.

"Yes, he had a huge crush on the cutest girl in the school. Almost everyone knew about it but in the end, they decided to remain as a close friend."

"What makes them decide that?"

"Well, you're going to need to ask him if you want to know," he gave a playful grin.

"Tch! It's not like I want to know!" I snapped.

"I'm giving you a fair warning, though. Decimo is popular among the young women, so chances of him bringing some female acquaintances would be high and I'm wondering what will happen to you after that."

I was just a secretary. Why would Pietro said something like this to me? I doubted that Tsuna had feelings towards me, so he probably liked someone better than I was. Bringing some women back to the headquarters sounded like a normal thing to do. Maybe for some business discussion or...

I felt like a flower of jealousy started to bloom inside me.

"Did I miss something here?"

Tsuna had just returned to the living hall and Pietro merely talked something to him. I did not say anything when both of them were talking and the brunet just only noticed how quiet was I when he was driving back to the headquarters.

"Something bothering you, Ayano?"

I was still silent and I was unaware that he talked to me.

"What's the matter? Are you sick?"

I was too focused looking out the window when I heard him calling out for me.

"[Name]!"

I jumped with shock and I nervously turned to look at him. "Y-yes, Tsuna?"

"Did you hear what I just say to you?" he asked with his stern tone.

"I...I'm sorry..." I bowed my head for like many times. "I'm just...thinking of something else, that all..."

"About what?"

"...something."

There was a silence between us until he spoke up again.

"Did Pietro say something to you?"

"Huh?"

"I bet he says something that bothering your mind."

Of course, he knew why I was silent and there was no way I was going to tell him if he brought any women back to the headquarters. He would know that I liked him and I would be jealous. I ended up asking about his crush.

"Pietro tell me that you used to have a huge crush on someone when you're 14. Is it true?"

Tsuna gave a heavy sigh and had his annoyed look on his face. "He really cannot stop talking, didn't he?"

"So, it's true."

"Yes, I do have a crush on a girl when I was 14. She was the most popular girl in a school and almost all the boys admired her. I cannot stop thinking about her and I have been wanting to tell her my feelings."

"Then, did you do it?"

"I did tell her after we graduated from high school. I got rejected but I knew this would happen. She mentioned that she already had someone else in her heart and at least hoping that we would remain as close friends."

"Shouldn't you be sad after being rejected?"

We soon stopped at the red light and the brunette merely gave a small smile.

"Maybe I was but after I've taken over the Vongola, I don't think we could be together. It's just nothing but a puppy love during my school days."

I strongly remembered how many boys or girls howling with sadness after being rejected by someone they admire. That imaginary 14-year-old Tsuna in my head would be crying in despair after the rejection but he knew that even if both of them were together, it would not last long.

"[Name]."

"Yes?"

"Want me to take you to the nearest cafe for lunch?"

"...for what?"

"As an apology token for yelling at you earlier."

I gave a small smirk at him. He was probably going to regret asking me. 

"I shall accept that, Decimo."


	16. Return

Secretary Day was a day that probably half of the people dislike it so much with reasons. They said that it was not enough to appreciate the secretaries' hard work in the administration aside from giving some gifts or treating them for meals. The boss takes you out for lunch or dinner just for that day and it was the most awkward moment of the day.

However, according to Reborn, the Secretary Day in mafia world was as important as the New Year's Day. Secretaries in the mafia world were not only serving as secretaries, but they also could be their boss' right-hand, most trusted servant and so on. They also had an important task, which was not breaking their family's secret to anyone and this part was the one that determined their loyalty to their bosses.

In other words, I was told to attend this event in Naples. Each of the mafia families was taking turns to be the host of the Secretary Day event and it was Tomaso Famiglia's turn to be the host. Gokudera was giving his annoyed look when he knew who was the next host for the upcoming event. The silver-haired was supposed to come with me since he was Tsuna's right-hand man but he could not join as he would need to assist Tsuna for an important meeting. He only helped me by telling what I should or should not do during that event.

"You don't need to wear anything so fancy. Just pick any clothes that make you comfortable enough to wear."

"I'm not going to wear any dresses, especially if that reveals some of my body parts," I said flatly as I was busy choosing some dress shirt and long pants.

"Pftt, as if you actually can wear dresses," Gokudera snickered.

"I know how flat is my chest and how small I am, so you do not need to laugh at me," I growled in annoyance.

"Oh, sorry for hurting your feelings."

I rolled my eyes away from him as I knew that did not sound so sincere. I kept on looking for the clothes and when I found a polka-dot dress shirt that caught my attention, I grabbed it. Someone else did grab the same shirt I was trying to take. A young woman with wavy long hair was glaring at me and I think she was about my age. She roughly tried to take the dress shirt away from me but I did not let it go. I was the one found it first.

"Give it to me, it's mine," she hissed with her deep Italian accent.

"My hand landed it first before you, so I should take it!" I snapped back and I still did not let go of it.

"Oh really??" she snarled. "Even if you take it, I can pay much higher than the original price of this shirt."

"I don't care, and I'll take it what's mine," I tugged that dress shirt away from her hands and stormed off to look for Gokudera. 

Within a few milliseconds, I was grabbed from behind and I was being slapped hard across my cheek. I grew so angry that I yelled back at that woman. 

" _Che cazzo vuoi_ (What the f*ck do you want)?!"

"I'll keep on stopping you until you give back that dress shirt!" the woman almost screamed with dissatisfaction and was grabbing my hair harshly. I shrieked with pain and I tried to pull her hands away from my hair.

"Clelia Federigo!"

The woman froze in shock when she heard someone calling out her name. I quickly pulled my hair away from her hands and glaring back at that woman. Gokudera was walking towards us and he was giving a murderous stare at Clelia. 

Did he and this woman know each other?

"O-oh, _Signor_ Gokudera..." Clelia smiled nervously. " _P-piacere di conoscerti_ (P-pleased to meet you)..."

" _Piacere mio_ (Nice to meet you too)," the silver-haired replied coldly. "As far I know, you're not supposed to come back to Italy after that incident years ago. Why are you here?"

"W-well...I'm back here to attend the upcoming event, of course..." Clelia tried to remain calm and smiled back at him. "Ever since that incident, my family and I were struggling to find a place to stay. All of a sudden, a kind Russian man pitied us and gave us a proper shelter with a condition that I must work as his secretary. I quickly agreed and with his power, I can go anywhere I like."

Gokudera was still suspicious at her past encounter. When she mentioned about a Russian man who helped her and eventually giving her special permission to travel around Italy, he knew this man could be from the mafia family. Somehow, I could not believe that Clelia Federigo was Tsuna's former secretary who broke the omerta and endangered most of his friends.

"Right, I'm _glad_ that you're leading a better life. Care to explain to me why are you fighting with a young woman here?" 

"That poor b*tch is taking away that dress shirt and I want it back!" Clelia screeched.

"What is your problem, * _arschloch_?! I get it first and you are acting like there are no more clothes left to buy in the world!!" I snapped back at her angrily.

"Why you-!"

"ENOUGH!!"

The Storm's voice was so deadly loud that the people in the boutique went silent. He was getting a slight headache since he never expected to deal with two women fighting each other over for a piece of clothing. He turned to look at me and pointing that shirt I was holding, telling me to just give it back to Clelia. I frowned back to him.

"Believe me, Miss Minoru. That design of the shirt is not going to suit you. Just let her have it and I'll find a better one for you."

I stared back at him and this time, he was serious about it. My eyes then looked at Clelia who was giving the most disgusting smile that I ever saw. I deeply sighed and threw the shirt back in her arms. Without waiting for her damned response ("You should have to give it to me earlier, poor little girl~"), I walked out from the boutique and I sat one of the benches where it was the furthest from that shop so that I would not see her again.

I was often being verbally harassed by the perfectionist girls during my school days. These kinds of girls would do anything to become pretty and perfect in front of the boys' eyes. Makeups, sexy school uniforms, and even push up bras. They laughed at me for being so imperfect but when I was the one much easily mixed up with boys because I was a tomboy, they nearly tried to 'kill' me off. I was not that stupid to let them get me, but I warned them that I had many ways to 'destroy' their beauty within only milliseconds. It was the most victorious win I ever made.

Until I met Clelia Federigo, I had never felt so insulted in my life. I thought that lead female servant at the headquarters was bad but Clelia was the worst person I had met. No wonder Gokudera and Reborn wanted her dead for breaking the Vongola's omerta.

I was into my deep thoughts when Gokudera sat beside me and offered me a cup of hot cappuccino. I slowly held out my hand and took it, thanking him. We did not say anything at first and I guess it was the wisest way by apologising to him for what happened in the boutique earlier.

"I'm sorry for troubling you, Gokudera."

"For what?" he simply asked before he sipped his beverage.

"Well, for making you getting involved with the ladies' fight."

"It's not a big deal. I often get myself involved with this kind of scene," the silver-haired sighed. "But at least because of it, I can inform to the Tenth about Clelia Federigo's presence in Italy." 

"I don't get it. If it is true that Tsuna does not allow her to enter Italy, why she can make it?"

"Clelia Federigo is free to return to Italy but she would be in deep trouble if the mafia members see her around. Breaking the omerta is considered as a crime," Gokudera took another sip and he seemed to analyze some possibilities. "That Russian man she is talking about, he could have been surprisingly famous if he could tell any mafia members not to try to hurt her."

"Could he be a mafia boss like Tsuna, Dino and others?"

"You're right this time. Russian mafioso are quite dangerous. My only advice to you is that you must not get near with Clelia during the special event at Naples."

I nodded and I finally took some sip of my beverage. I must keep in mind that I should try to stay away from that woman once I went to Naples.

I was again being reminded that I should not get too friendly to Naito Longchamp, the current boss of Tomaso Famiglia who would be hosting the upcoming event.

Was he an enemy too?

* * *

I arrived back to the headquarters and I was about to return to my room when I saw Chrome was talking to someone I did not know. That man was quite tall and his bluish hair was so long that he had to tie it up. Both of his eyes were red and blue and I could see some kanji in his red eye. It was strange that I could feel the hostile aura from that man. Chrome noticed my presence and waved at me. I waved back as I walked towards them.

"Nagi, who's this young lady? Is she someone new in this place?" the man asked with his sly look at me.

"Oh, she is the boss's new secretary. Her alias name is Minoru Ayano," Chrome turned to look at me. "Miss Ayano, this is Rokudo Mukuro. He is the official Vongola's Mist Guardian."

"Rokudo Mukuro? The one who saved your life ten years ago??"

Chrome nodded while smiling back at me. Mukuro was still staring at me and his lips formed into a small smirk. He went near to me and lifted my chin to have a closer look at my face. I was completely numb when he did that and I still could feel the hostility from him.

"I must say, from all of the women out there, Sawada Tsunayoshi has decided to pick you as his secretary. I wonder what is in his mind but at least you're much trustworthy than his previous one."

I did not know if I should respond to him or not. At the same time, Hibari was passing by and his eyes shot a sharp glare straight to Mukuro. The illusionist gave a light sigh and moved his hand away from my chin before leaving both me and Chrome in the hallway. That skylark was leaving as well. I felt like as if they wanted to settle their old debts.

"Chrome, you sure that he was the one gave you the chance to live much longer?" I asked curiously.

"Indeed, yes," she answered. "Mukuro-sama is a great illusionist and his skills can deceive lots of people's eyes. He used his powers to create some illusionary organs that I've lost during the accident. So my life sometimes depends on him until I started to learn to create it on my own." 

"You mean, if anything bad happens to Mukuro...you will die too?" I went pale after hearing her story. Chrome simply nodded and gave her a grateful smile.

"That was past, and even if I can stand with my strength, I will still follow him."

I was thinking in my mind that Chrome was a strong woman. She was inches away to death after the accident and when Mukuro once lost to Byakuran but she wanted to stay alive no matter what happens. She then grabbed my hand and was bringing me to another place. I did ask where was she bringing me to and she said that there will be a surprise waiting for me. She simply gave me a hint by saying, her good friends had just arrived. I shrugged my shoulders and I just let her lead the way.

"Chrome, why is Hibari-san looking at Mukuro like he wanted to settle up their old debts?"

"Oh, they are always like that. Whenever they meet, they will fight each other. It's their way to settle that such 'old debt'."

I raised my eyebrows. Their 'old debt' started ten years ago. I mentally think of why I missed so much of things when Tsuna and others were in school?

I was not even with them during that time.

_***arschloch** = a German swear word._


	17. Secretary Day

Chrome was bringing me to a guest room and when she opened the door, I could see some unfamiliar people inside there. The only ones I could recognise was I-Pin and Miura Haru, the talented tailor who made some formal attire for me after I started to work for Tsuna. There were few other people whom I never met before. I saw a young woman with long, golden-brown hair and another woman (she looked a little older than Haru) with long, light pink hair. Then, there was a younger male with short, light brown hair who was seen having a casual talk with I-Pin. Once Chrome introduced me to them, they turned to look at me and smiled pleasantly. 

"Hello, [Name]! It's nice to see you again!" Haru greeted me with delight. 

"H-Haru, we're not supposed to call by her real name..." said Chrome with her nervous tone.

Haru gasped with shock and tried to apologise when the woman with light pink hair suddenly spoke up.

"It's fine, Chrome. We're inside the headquarters and no one will know about her real identity. Though I think we must start calling by her fake name so that we don't easily slip out."

"Well then, maybe we should introduce ourselves to Miss Minoru, shall we?" the younger male said politely. "My name is Fuuta de la Stella, just call by my first name."

"De la Stella? Is that supposed to sound like 'of the stars'?" I asked curiously.

"Yes, you're right," Fuuta smiled warmly. 

"He's a special fortune-teller. If you want to ask anything especially about love, he can tell you more," the woman with pink hair smirked lightly and I smiled awkwardly, listening to her comment. I blinked when I noticed that she had similar green eyes.

"Wait, are you Gokudera's older sister?"

"Older half-sister, to be exact," she smiled. "I guess the Vongola boss had chosen a perfect woman to be his secretary. You have a sharp eye on every detail you see."

"I'm not that great..." I gave an awkward laugh. "I mean, your eyes look the same as his eyes."

"Don't be too modest, Miss Minoru. By the way, I'm Bianchi. Poison cooking is my ultimate talent," she introduced while offering me a plate of _rotten_ biscuits.

I politely decline her food and I told her that I had eaten for lunch. Her cooking was the real reason why Gokudera fell ill and that made him unable to assist Tsuna to meet Pietro Inverno. I turned to look at the young woman with golden brown hair and she was smiling sweetly at me.

"I'm Sasagawa Kyoko. Nice to meet you."

"Sasagawa.? You're Ryohei's younger sister??" 

"Ah, yes! That's my big brother," she chuckled lightly. "I hope that he doesn't bother you by telling you to join his boxing club."

"Well, I don't think he ever mentioned that but he loves to talk about boxing stuff when he trained me."

That was the first time I met Kyoko and she was the one that almost got killed in the ambush attack during her brother's birthday years ago. Haru the spoke up to me with her excited look.

"Hey, you want to know why we are here? I heard that you and Chrome are going to attend the Secretary Day event in Naples, so I've made some nice attires for both of you to wear."

"But, I never ask for that."

"Boss is the one asking for Haru's favour to make one for you. Didn't the Storm Guardian tell you about it?" Chrome commented.

"Tsuna is the one telling Haru to make one for me? No wonder Gokudera said he would pick better clothes for me."

"Eh, what is that supposed to mean?" asked I-Pin with her confused look.

"I got into a fight with another woman who tried to snatch the dress shirt that I've picked. She was the one started it, and it was lucky that he came in to stop both of us. He even told me to just give it back to Clelia after telling me that he will get a better one for me," I explained and I gave an annoyed look when I thought of that Italian woman.

"Clelia? You mean Tsuna's former secretary?" asked Fuuta.

"Wow, she even dared to return to Italy after that incident," added Bianchi with slight dislike.

"It's going to be a long story, so I think you should hear from Gokudera later on." 

Bianchi nodded her head and Haru went on to give the paper-bag to me, saying that this was the one I would be wearing for that event. I slowly open the paper-bag and the outfit design was quite a surprise. There was a light yellow blouse with ruffles matching with black blazer and pants. I also found a pair of black low heels shoes as well inside the paper bag. As far as I had realised, my outfit was getting much feminine despite my dislike of skirts.

"I...I've never thought of wearing something different," I spoke up.

"I think it's perfect, Ayano," Kyoko added. "Tsuna asked for our thoughts and opinions while thinking of a better outfit for you."

"He did?"

"Of course he did!" Haru replied. "He knows that you hate skirts, so he is finding a better design outfit to match your looks and your personality."

I went speechless. I could not believe that Tsuna would do this just for me.

"Ah, Ayano," I-Pin spoke up. "Did you keep your hair a little longer?"

"How did you know?"

"Your hair was so short like boy's hair when I first met you. But now, your hair grows even longer than usual."

"I...I don't know. Tsuna mentioned that I would look cuter if I grow my hair a little longer," I mumbled.

"Wow, did he say that??" Haru exclaimed with surprise.

"Boss surely likes a girl with short hair," Chrome commented as she smiled.

"Indeed, since Kyoko used to have short hair years ago. He had a huge crush on her back then," said Bianchi coolly.

Her statement had finally hit my head with realisation. Kyoko was that girl whom Tsuna fell for her. She was such a sweet person. Maybe he preferred a cute and kind woman like her.

"Ayano, is there anything wrong?"

"Huh?" I looked up and Haru was giving her a curious look at me. "Oh, nothing. I'm just thinking to reschedule the timetable for Tsuna."

I looked a little disappointed. Kyoko noticed my facial expression as she stood up and look at us.

"Excuse me, I want to go to the washroom," she then stared at me. "Ayano, would you please take me there? I kinda forget where it is located."

"Sure, let me lead you there," I stood up and we then both leave the guest room together.

We did not talk as we walk and I did not find it wrong to lead her to the washroom. Sure, the headquarters was so huge and I sometimes got myself lost in certain rooms. Luckily, I knew how the washroom and bathroom looked like or I might end up bumping into other guys inside.

I reached another corner and I opened the washroom door for Kyoko. We went in and that was when she suddenly spoke to me.

"Ayano, do you really like Tsuna?"

"H-huh?? Why are you asking that?"

"You give that sad look when Bianchi mention that Tsuna used to have a huge crush on me. So, I'm wondering if it is true that you like him or not."

"It's...it's not like that..." I answered nervously. "It's just that, Tsuna is kind to me...and I could not help it but..."

"You like his kindness, right?" Kyoko snickered. "I can't deny but to agree. He's kind to anyone."

"Um, Kyoko, why did you reject him?"

She was silent and she turned back to look in the mirror.

"I know that he had the feelings towards me. But alas, I could not feel the same way as he was. I treated him as my good friend and I was glad that he made my brother happy."

"He made your brother happy?"

"My brother often got into fights with other boys and sometimes ended up getting injured. I was so worried about him even after now. But after becoming friends with Tsuna, he had changed and that makes me feel so glad."

"I see..."

"He's quite disappointed as well, but until the end, he understood that we would not be happy after he took over his family's business. Besides, I've already met someone I like."

She gently touched my hair and gave a light smirk at me. 

"If you do like Tsuna, I suggest that you should express your feelings to him. He's been nice to you, so I'm wondering if he had the same feelings as you do."

"W-wait! You don't understand! I'm just his-!"

Before I could even finish my sentences, Kyoko had already left the bathroom. My face turned so red as she was expecting me to tell Tsuna that I love him??

N-no way! That was way too impossible!

* * *

It was about time that I would be going to Naples for the Secretary Day event. I felt much better because Chrome was following me as well since she had been Mukuro's loyal assistant. I was being told that Tsuna and Gokudera were supposed to come along (the boss and the secretary) but he ended up having an important meeting. I checked his schedule and it was a meeting that he could not avoid.

Though I felt something was not right.

The current boss of Tomaso Famiglia, Naito Longchamp was hosting the important event, so he rented an exquisite villa and it seemed that he was doing well.

I mentioned that because Gokudera once told me that Naito was a very eccentric guy as they were studying in the same school together. Not only eccentric but also an apparent pervert and a womanizer. It was not that bad that he went along with many girls until the silver-haired told me that most of his former girlfriends were ninety-nine times uglier than any other normal women. His subordinates never get along so well that they often had frequent internal disputes.

Right after ten years, Naito had probably taken his duty as a boss quite seriously and had been an ally to Tsuna.

More guests were coming and most of the suppose secretaries came along with their bosses. I could see Kozato Enma was walking with Adelheid Suzuki and some other familiar faces. Chrome was wearing a violet coat long jacket scarf that matched her long black boots. I was wearing the blouse with ruffles, black blazer and pants and a pair of black low heels shoes. Chrome's appearance gained lots of attention from other bosses and I could not blame them. She looked stunning with any dresses or clothes she was wearing.

I felt like I was being recognised as a woman instead of being a guy thanks to the outfit given by Tsuna. 

Both me and Chrome introduced ourselves to other guests and we explained to them that our boss (Vongola Decimo) was unable to attend due to his important meeting. They did understand but they kept on talking to us as if they were trying to flirt with us. I was going to step into their shoes when Dino Cavallone called out to us.

"Ciao, Ayano, Chrome," Don Cavallone greeted us with his confident look.

"Hello, how are you, Don Cavallone?" I replied.

"There's no need to be so formal, Ayano. Just call me Dino, okay?"

"I don't think I can do that. You're the mafia boss, aren't you?"

"That's not going to stop you from calling me that way," Dino grinned. "So, how's your leg? Feeling much better?"

"Much better. Thanks for your concern," I smiled back.

"Well, I should thank you too for protecting me. I'm so sorry for trying to kill you off. I'm a little overprotective towards Tsuna ever since his former secretary made a huge mess years ago."

"Oh, don't mention that. I understand. I would do the same if I were you," I smirked. "But not at the level by taking advantage of my weakness and petrified my right arm."

"Hey, you're teasing me, aren't you?" Dino smirked as well before he laughed it off. "But why only you and Chrome? I thought Tsuna and his right-hand man are supposed to attend this event."

"Oh, both of them are having an avoidable meeting," I answered. "Gokudera only told me not to get too close with Clelia Federigo as she would be attending this event."

"Wait, Clelia Federigo?" Dino's look darkened. "Why is she here? Didn't Tsuna already tell her not to return to Italy after that incident?"

Don Cavallone was shocked by her sudden return. I could only give him an answer that the silver-haired and I could agree with.

"It's all because of a Russian mafia boss's help."


	18. Prize

Trust and loyalty were important things in the mafia world. The moment you break your boss's trust, you were dead in their hands. 

Clelia Federigo was the example of someone who broke the code of silence and she was supposed to be dead. However, Vongola Decimo could not do it and had her, along with her whole family kicked out from Italy. She was free to return but the mafioso would look at her as a criminal.

Short to say, breaking an omerta was a huge crime in the mafia world.

Don Cavallone was in deep shock when he learnt about Clelia's return and he was wondering what he would do if he met her. I knew that he was going to plot murder and she would have lots of sleepless nights. 

Before I could say anything, a young woman with round glasses came to his side. Her long blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail form and was seen wearing a polo neck blouse matched with her long skirt. She was nervous and held a worried look on her face.

"D-Don Cavallone, are you alright?" she timidly asked and the blond boss turned to look at her.

"Oh, I'm fine here, Natalia," he smiled. "There you go again. Didn't I tell you not to worry way too much?"

"I-I can't help it...especially when you look distressed," she explained.

"Is she your secretary?" I asked curiously. The young woman squeaked with shock and hid behind Dino.

"Yes, she is. Or better answer, she's my cousin," he answered. "Hey, Natalia. Say hello to Ayano, she's not going to bite you."

"Ciao, Natalia. I'm Minoru Ayano, Vongola Decimo's secretary. Nice to meet you, " I smiled and I held out my hand for her to shake. 

"C-ciao..." she nervously took my hand and shake, trying her best to smile. "Nice to meet you too, Miss Ayano. I'm...Natalia..."

From everyone's view, Natalia looked so innocent in the mafia world and some of them were being so mean to her like, saying that she was not going to survive in the world that she was not supposed to stay. Who in the world would harm her when she was closely related to Don Cavallone?

She soon reminded Dino that Romario wanted to see him before she went off to join Romario. I noticed that the blond cared for his family member.

"Did you hire her as your secretary? In the mafia world?"

"I didn't hire her personally. She wanted me to hire her."

"Why is that?"

"The moment I took over my father's place, Natalia's family had been killed by a rival family. They tried to weaken my family's power by annihilating someone important to me. Like Tsuna, I refused to become the mafia boss as I hated violence but seeing what had happened to Natalia, I took over and I made sure that whoever made her suffer will rot in hell."

"She was the reason why you decided to become Don Cavallone?" I asked further and he nodded his head once. 

"I let her stay in my place and I gave her all she needs; a proper education until she graduated from the university. She wanted to repay my kindness by becoming my secretary, ignoring the danger she will soon face. Besides, all of my subordinates treated her like their own family."

Not long after that, Dino had to leave me to have a proper talk with his right-hand man. I let out a sigh and I wanted to head back to the headquarters. The event was boring, just the same as the charity event in Milan months ago. 

With Naito Longchamp being the host, it was a little different. He eventually created an interesting activity called the House of Luck, where his right-hand man (or his tutor), Mangusta will pick a random number and whoever had the same number as he picked will have their chance to choose their lucky gift.

Those gifts that Naito offered were not normal stuff, but somewhat expensive or rare items. I had seen some lucky people got themselves a brand new sports car, powerful weapons contributed by a powerful mafia family, jewellery and other things. 

Mangusta then picked another number and read it out loud. I checked back the ticket event I had and I blinked with shock. It was the same number as the one he had picked. Naito noticed it and gave a big clap to me.

"Wow! You're sure the lucky one, eh??" the Tomaso boss gave a wide grin. "Now, come up here and choose your lucky gift!"

I gave an awkward smile and I was trying to ignore how the guests looked at me. I steadily walked up on the stage and Naito shook my hand as a greeting.

"I don't think I've seen you before. May I know who you are, miss?"

"Oh, okay..." I cleared my throat before I introduced myself. "My name is Minoru Ayano and I am Vongola Decimo's secretary. Pleased to meet you, _Signor_ Naito Longchamp."

"You're Vongola's new secretary??" Naito exclaimed with surprise. "That's cool! I've been looking forward to meeting you after hearing that he hired someone new as his secretary."

The guests whispered because they did not expect to meet Tsuna's new secretary. Naito mentioned that he had not been looking for someone else for two years and my appearance did surprise everyone in the villa. I was later being told to pick random mysterious gifts on the table and I was having a hard time to choose any of them. It was then, a small box caught my interest and I slowly picked it up before I gave it to Naito. He took it and as soon he opened it, most of the guests gasped with shock. I blinked, looking at their sudden reaction. I did take a look at the small box he had just opened and all I saw was an ancient-looking ring with a dim-violet jewel on it. 

That was when a ghostly-skull thing suddenly appeared on top of the dim jewel and I flinched.

What kind of ring was that??

"Oh, what a surprise!" said Naito with excitement. "Looks like Miss Minoru had just won a rare item! It's one of the Hell Rings named Ossa Impressione!"

" _Signor_ Longchamp!" Yuni called out for him with her worried look. "May I ask, why did you have this ring in your own hands??"

"Well, I happen to find this ring in the national museum and it took me quite a lot of effort for me to buy it off from the curator," Naito grinned. "I ended up not knowing how to use it and I decided to give it away to someone lucky like Miss Minoru."

Though the Tomaso boss had explained about that mysterious ring, Yuni was still giving her worried look and Gamma was trying his best to reassure his young boss. I got down on the stage and I went out of the villa for some fresh air.

I got the prize with luck and somewhat unlucky at the same time for getting a horrifying ring. I kept on staring at the ring just to see that skull-like ghost will appear again or not.

It did appear and it was talking to me while laughing evilly.

_"...so...I guess that I've found a new owner of this ring..."_

"W-who are you?"

_"Didn't you hear from that man? I'm the devil that resides within this ring and I will give ultimate power to those who wear this ring...with a price, of course."_

"Price? In exchange for that power of yours?"

_"Yes, yes...a price. You sell your soul to me and I shall give you what you want. Just wear it and you're done signing a contract with me."_

I felt like I was being hypnotised and I was about to put that Hell Ring on my finger when I heard another voice talking to me. I stopped and I turned around. Clelia Federigo was standing behind me with her smug look with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What are you waiting for? Go ahead and wear that ring. And you'll be just like an ugly, hellish devil."

She was just pissing me off more than ever. I placed back the ring into my blazer pocket and I glared back at her.

"Right, go on and keep throwing those nasty insults of yours at me. You surely love to waste your time bad-mouthing someone else."

"I've heard that you're Don Vongola's new secretary. Why didn't you tell me when we first met at the boutique?"

"Oh, why in the world I would tell everyone that I'm Don Vongola's secretary? To get me in danger like you almost did years ago?"

"It's not my fault it happened-"

"It happened many times. You kept on bragging to everyone that you're working for Don Vongola as if you're his wife. Look what's landed on you. Bad luck. That's the price for breaking the omerta, woman."

She gritted her teeth with anger and shouted back at me.

"Don't be an arrogant b*tch just because you can get to stick with Don Vongola! You don't even deserve it and there's no way he would marry a low standard woman like you!"

"Since when I talk about marrying Don Vongola?? Are you getting more nutter after being kicked out by that brunet himself?!"

"I'm not getting nuts, it's the truth! I was supposed to marry him before I messed up everything!"

I went into a deep silence when Clelia said that she was almost getting married to Tsuna before the incident. Dino heard us yelling outside and instead of stopping that woman from shouting further, he went straight to me and pulled my arm so that he could take me somewhere else. The other guests had to calm her down, realising that she was getting drunk after some glasses of champagne.

We stood in the middle of the labyrinth garden and we took a seat on a bench. We did not speak to each other and Dino decided to ask if I was doing fine or not.

"Ayano, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," I answered blankly, still not looking at him.

"No, you're not," Dino refused to believe my answer. "You got stunned when Clelia Federigo babbling nonsense things."

"So, is it true that Tsuna was going to marry Clelia before the incident occurred?" I asked with a low tone.

"No, that's not going to happen," the blond boss gave a light sigh. "Come on, Ayano. Did you believe whatever she says? Tsuna did not even have any feelings towards that woman. He only treated her like his assistant, nothing more than that."

"Then, why did he let her go instead of killing her off for breaking the omerta?"

Dino slowly turned his head and kept on staring at me. I felt even more irritated when he did it and I was about to shout at him when he quickly cut off my question.

"Did you wear that Hell Ring?"

"Huh?"

"Pass that thing to me, right now."

"It's my gift, why should I-"

"Just do it, Segretario Minoru."

His tone of speaking was quite stern and I had no choice but to give that Hell Ring to him. As soon as I had done it, I felt strangely lighter than before. I was slightly confused and I was not sure what was happening to me.

"Now are you fully awake?" Dino asked further.

"I...what happened to me?" 

"I'm going to be honest. You are not fit to wear or hold this Hell Ring. Its power is too strong that it can cloud your mind with nothing but the negativeness. That will make you sign a contract with the devil out of your will."

"S-seriously?" I gasped with shock. "Did I fight with Clelia again?"

"You did, but because of this ring, you got even angrier and almost believing that Tsuna would marry her before the incident." 

"Oh, crap..." I gripped my hair so tightly and I was embarrassed. That Hell Ring itself had changed myself a lot when I had it with me. Dino gently patted my shoulder and he held his concerned look.

"So you do like Tsuna, do you?"

"I...I've told you, I'm just his..."

"His what?"

I could not take it anymore. Dino or anyone else, I let out whatever was inside my heart for a long time.

"...fine...I'm having a deep crush on Don Vongola."


	19. Crush

I did it. I just did it.

I had just confessed that I had a deep crush on my boss, Sawada Tsunayoshi. Worse of all, I confessed it in front of Don Cavallone. Since he heard about it, would he be off and telling everyone that I had a crush on Don Vongola? I bet most of the people would laugh at me.

"Ah, I knew that you would answer that." 

"What is that supposed to mean?" I stared back at him curiously.

"It's obvious," Dino grinned. "Reborn always told me that you would get flustered when Tsuna came near to you. Any women will act the same way as you are when your boss is nothing but a pretty cool and charming man."

"What's even the use?" I sighed heavily. "He's not going to like a woman like me. I doubted that he had the same feelings as I am. See, he even had a crush on a cute girl like Kyoko."

"You don't consider yourself as pretty or cute?"

"Do you even call it cute with the appearance I have now? Most of the people make fun of me. Heck, I look so much like a guy than a girl."

Dino gave an assuring smile at me and he patted my shoulder as if he was trying to ease down my negativity.

"Let me ask you, Ayano. Did he ever compliment about something that makes you happy?"

"Compliment?" I tried to recall back. "There was one time the lead female servant was on strike because they refused to follow my orders, saying that I don't deserve to work for Tsuna. I thought I was not doing well but Tsuna said that I did a good job. He even said that I would look cuter if I grow my hair a little longer."

"That sounds so much like him," the blonde boss laughed. "No wonder your hair is getting longer than the last time we've met."

"I-It's not like I want to keep it long!" I quickly replied. "I just don't have time to cut my hair because of my work."

Dino was giving his 'yeah-right' look and I knew he was not believing me either. I was wishing that the event would end sooner so that I could return to sort out the schedule. Chrome was probably talking to Mukuro (he arrived later than both of us) and I had to wait for them as well. 

"It's not wrong for you to have a crush on my little _fratello_. Just give him some time to realise your feelings. Maybe he will tell you about his feelings."

I shrugged and I had been wanting to ask something important.

"Dino, about that Hell Ring..."

"Hm, what do you want to ask?"

"As soon I had this ring as a lucky prize from _Signor_ Naito, Yuni looks worried. I mean, she seems alarmed about this Hell Ring."

"I'm glad you asked," he took out the Hell Ring and showed to me before he explained. "This ring used to belong to one of her subordinate named Genkishi. He was a skilful swordsman and an illusionist who betrayed Yuni's family. He had been working for the Millefiore Famiglia to repay Byakuran's help for saving his life. Things didn't go well for him as he had been brutally killed during the battle we got involved in."

"Uhh..." I gaped with confusion. "Is Byakuran a good or a bad person?"

"It's going to be a long story, so I suggest you to either do some research or asking Tsuna's right-hand man. Whatever it is, Byakuran is on our side. You don't need to worry about it."

"Okay," I replied. "So, what exactly is this Hell Ring?"

" _Ossa Impressione_ , literally means bones impression in Italian. It is named like that because the unlimited number of spirits living inside the ring will become the scapegoats; in a form of skeletons once the user receives an upcoming attack. Combining with the Mist Flame power, the user can create numbers of illusions of a person whose soul is linked with the real person. Easier to say, you attack that illusion, that real person might receive the damage you give to them." 

My eyes slowly widened in shock and I could not even look at that ring in the same way again.

"...no wonder it's called Hell Ring..." I muttered.

"That's why you are not fit to have it. Such a kind-hearted person like you can't be possibly stained with this dark item."

"But I got this and I can't even have it at my own hands. Unless..."

"Unless?"

"I'll just let Mukuro have this ring instead."

"You want to give it to Rokudo Mukuro? Are you sure about it?"

"He can handle this ring better than anyone else. I still can trust him a little because he saved Chrome's life."

"I see," Dino then went on to wrap the Hell Ring with a small piece of cloth before passing it to me. "If you want to give him, then I won't stop you. Remember, don't ever wear this ring."

I nodded and I took the ring from his hand. Soon after, Chrome came to the garden and telling me that we should head back to the headquarters. I bid farewell to Dino and I followed Chrome from behind. While we were on our way back, I gave the ring to Mukuro and explaining the whole thing that happened to me. He was surprised as he heard it and saying that it was the right thing to do. 

I smiled back to him before I fell asleep during the journey back to Sicily.

* * *

We finally arrived at the headquarters and it was already past midnight. I could see that some of Tsuna's guardians were still awake at this time. I was supposed to return to my room and get more sleep but I had to at least remind Tsuna about our return. I yawned while walking towards his room only to see that the door was left open. 

Tsuna's room was still pitch dark and I was wondering why he would leave his door open. I closed the door behind me and I walked around to look for him. His clothes were strewn over his bed and his black coat was on the floor.

Seriously, what was happening to him? He would not be that untidy unless he had just returned from his important meeting as well.

I picked up his white shirt and I felt something wet at the sleeve of the shirt. That part of the sleeve looked like it was being cut and all I saw was...a bloodstain.

I quickly turned around and I saw the light coming from the bathroom. I marched and I slammed the door open, frightening someone inside there.

"A-Ayano, what happened??"

Forget if he was shirtless right now. He was frightened that he stopped tending his own bloodied arm. I could see a long gash and it was still bleeding. 

"Tsuna, where did you get that wound?" I asked with my low tone.

"Oh, this...it's not that serious..." he quickly answered.

"It is considered serious if it is still bleeding like that," I frowned at him. "How about telling me or I'll have Gokudera to check instead?"

"Strict as always," the brunet sighed. "Hayato and I were on the way back from an important meeting and we got ambushed by another enemy. We managed to take them down though he did not know that I was injured."

"What do you mean by he did not know? He's usually sharp if anything happens to you."

"Because I protected him from a sneak attack. I took that damage rather than Hayato got hit with it."

Yes, that was Sawada Tsunayoshi. He was willing to do anything to protect someone important to him. He would receive the damage instead of his other friends. Just how much more damage he could take? That would be worrying everyone including me.

I went back to the nearest drawer to get some bandages and the first aid kit to clean up his wound. The brunet did not even object and letting me dealing with his injury. He did not wince when I wash his wound with water and applied for some medicine before bandaging it neatly. 

"That should have done it," I placed back any necessary items back into the kit. "You're lucky that it was not a deep cut or else, I have to tell Sasagawa to heal it up."

"...Ayano."

"Yes?"

"Thank you...and please, don't tell this matter to Hayato. I don't want him to feel irresponsible."

"I won't tell but if you keep on doing that, then I can't help you getting some scoldings from that grumpy silver-haired."

"Right," Tsuna gave a small smile. "Is everything fine in Naples?"

"Everything is fine," I answered. "Chrome and I meet lots of people from different families. Even Don Shimon and Yuni were there as well. I also met up with Don Cavallone's secretary."

"You mean Natalia?" the brunet spoke. "She's the only family member who is close to Dino and she is the reason why he decided to take over his family's mafia business. I've met her several times and she's shy. Don't judge by her nerdy looks. Natalia is highly potential when it comes to administering the Cavallone Famiglia's business."

"I see..." I smiled awkwardly. "It's not like I'm judging her. I felt like she's too innocent to get involved with the mafia."

"You did remind me of my old self."

"Your old self?"

"I was involved with the mafia when I was only fourteen. Reborn kept on recruiting my friends and that includes five-year-old Lambo. I highly disagree to have a child getting into this violent world despite that he is my official Guardian. I only started to allow him to follow us after his future self wanted me to bring him along."

I listened while thinking of something. "That's strange..."

"Strange? What do you mean?"

"Well, you and Vongola Primo are almost similar to everything. Just a little thing that gives a difference between you and him," I explained. "You see. You had never allowed a child or someone so young to join the mafia because it will endanger their lives. As for Primo, he had his youngest Guardian to stand in front of the line, facing the enemies. He's not going to let his Guardian in danger, he probably wanted him to be brave."

"I have no idea what he was thinking," said the brunet. "But I understand better after taking over the Vongola." 

"At least both of you have the same idea of protecting the people," I added. "Everyone at the event was quite surprised to meet up with Vongola Decimo's secretary. Signor Naito said that you've not been hiring anyone for years before I came in."

"Naito Longchamp," Tsuna snickered. "He used to be a guy with strange taste, especially when it comes to court any girls. I see that he's now doing his job as his boss well."

"He's doing fine. Although I don't know why he suddenly had a Hell Ring at his own hands..." I muttered silently at the end.

"What did you say?" 

"Oh, nothing," I stood back quickly. "It's late, I better go and rest now-"

Tsuna grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards himself. I gasped with shock when he did that and he was giving his serious look. He heard what I said at the end of my sentence. I froze and I knew that my face was turning red slowly.

First, I was so close to him. And next, he's now shirtless, plus with his seriousness.

What was I supposed to do??

* * *

_**Extra** _

Dino Cavallone waved at Ayano to say goodbye before she walked away with Chrome and Mukuro. He smiled at her and once she was out of his sight, he sighed and leaned against the bench he sat on. He was preoccupied with his thoughts when Natalia came over to his side.

"Don Cavallone, are you alright?" she asked politely.

"Oh, I'm fine..." he replied and staring back at her. "Is the event already over?"

"A-almost. Don Tomaso is giving his last speech before dismissing the event," Natalia explained and she then tilted her head with curiosity. "Why you didn't tell her?"

"Hm? Tell what?" he blinked confusedly.

"Telling Segretario Minoru that you have feelings towards her."

"W-what??" Dino stuttered with surprise. "N-Natalia, there's no way I'd like Ayano. Besides, she's already having a crush on Tsuna."

"You can never lie to me, Don Cavallone. I've grown up with you for so long after you take me in as your family. It's obvious, especially the way you look into her eyes."

"...you are sharp at this, Natalia," the blond boss smiled nervously. "No wonder I've heard from Ivan and Bono about you being able to know what they were thinking." 

"So...do you like her?"

"I could not stop thinking about her after she protected me during the attempted arson attack. She's the bravest woman I've met so far. But to think that she started to develop her feelings for Tsuna, I don't think I could stand a chance. It's just so wrong to steal her from my little _fratello_."

"W-would Don Vongola ever fell for her? I mean, I heard a rumour that he was afraid to be in a relationship."

"He better court Ayano before it's too late. I understand how busy he is and about that rumour you've mentioned, but it's important to have someone willing to stay by his side to support him."

"If...if Don Vongola do not have the same feeling as she does, are you going to court her instead?"

The blonde boss was silent and he was rather unsure if he had the chance to confess his feelings towards Ayano. 

"Depends on her decision."


	20. Hopeless

"...Minoru Ayano."

"Y-yes, Tsuna?" I spoke but it sounded more like a mutter. His grip on my wrist was surprisingly strong that I could not shake it off from him.

"I think you're aware that I do not tolerate any unexplained situations. I am not deaf. I can hear what you say and I am just giving you a chance to fully explain to me."

"H-how would I s-start? I mean, it's like..." I stuttered and my heart was beating even faster when he slowly lifted my chin with his finger. His lips curved into that sadistic smile and he nuzzled my nose with his nose. I was going to faint in seconds.

"So, Ayano. Care to explain to me? Or perhaps, do you want me to help you...to explain better?"

His voice was getting deeper...... _and seductive_.....

"I-I'm sorry! I need to get back to sleep!"

I was not aware of what I had done. All I knew that I roughly pushed Tsuna away from me and I ran out from his room. Gokudera was about to enter his room but I ignored his presence. I ran straight back to my room and locked behind me. I panted and I tried to forget what had just happened. Was he trying to tease me until I was out of my mind? I could have just pushed him away earlier but I could not do so.

It felt like I was unconsciously responding to him.

This was so bad. I knew that I like him and I could not expect him to like me as well. Even after Kyoko encouraged me to express my feelings towards him, I was not fully confident that it will work well.

What if he rejected my feelings?

* * *

"I've heard from Hibari that you're not fully concentrating on your training. Is there something bothering your mind?"

I looked even gloomier than that day. My disturbed mind caused me to unable to focus on what I was doing until I ended up getting hit by that skylark. Yamamoto came in to see what he could do to help me. 

"He's mad at me, right?" I mumbled. "I knew that he was mad at me."

"Maybe he is but seeing that you have some sort of a conflicted mind, he decided to dismiss the training until you're ready," Yamamoto grinned. "He knows your potential better, that's why he can find his free time to sharpen your fighting skills."

"Right..." I sighed. "I'll apologise to him later."

"You should," the Rain Guardian added. "Say, what has been bothering you lately?"

"You can laugh at me if you want," I started to explain. "I've lost my father when I was young. I'm different from any girls. I act and I dressed up as a guy so that I can protect my mother. Most of the boys or men were my enemies because they tried to take advantage of my mother. I said to myself that I won't trust any of them. But, since the day I've joined Vongola, lots of things had changed."

"Changed? What changes you have seen?"

"I slowly started to trust anyone. I hated boys back then and now, it seems like I am giving another chance to see them better. Girls from my school and at my place did not acknowledge me because I act like a guy. Now, I feel annoyed when someone mistook me for a guy."

"Well, that's a good change, right?"

"You think it's good?"

"Why not? You think that boys and men are bad people because of what they have done to you and your mother. Sure, they are bullies who throw their frustrations at other weaker people to make them feel better. You are just unfortunate to meet up with the bad people at the wrong time. On the other side, not all of them are bad. Remember what you have done to Dino Cavallone? He doesn't trust you because he is afraid that you will be the next mistake that Tsuna will have to face. You did not even feel angry at him despite his hostility towards you. You even protect his life that makes you gain his trust. All because that you know he is not as bad as you think."

"I didn't realise that. If I were still my old self, I would have hated Don Cavallone even more."

"And another thing. You started to accept who you are."

"Why is that so?" I asked curiously.

"Didn't you say that you feel more annoyed when people mistook you like a guy? Besides, you started to look a little feminine. Especially the outfit you wore during the Secretary Day at Naples."

"Oh, that outfit. Tsuna was the one who made it for me."

"Really?" Yamamoto's eyes blinked with interest. "He's such a thoughtful person when it comes to someone who is working for him. Or is it because...?"

"Nah, I'm just his secretary. Nothing more than that. Maybe it was just a gift for me."

"You know. It's the first time I've heard Tsuna did this such thing for someone he cares."

"W...what?"

Yamamoto ended up letting his sentences unexplained when Sasagawa Ryohei called out for him. He simply gave a small smirk at me and reminding me to apologise to Hibari before he went off. I watched him leave the training room and I deeply thought. 

What was he trying to imply? Was he saying that Tsuna had been kind to me because he liked me?

* * *

Tsuna and I never spoke about that day and we just focus on our work. Following with my schedule, he was supposed to have a meeting with the boss of Lingotto Famiglia. It was merely as a normal meeting than a business meeting because the boss himself had been eager to meet Tsuna for so long. The Lingotto Famiglia and the Vongola Famiglia had been an ally since Vongola Sesto's reign.

The Lingotto Famiglia had been famous for their family fortune. It was said that they owned a mine and some foundries that could make many types of ingots (gold, silver, platinum, etc). Many mafia families wanted to make a deal with this family and some even tried to take over his mine and the foundries. Lingotto Famiglia was not that weak either. Fuuta once mentioned that this family was in the top fifteen in terms of power and strength.

For this meeting, Gokudera and Yamamoto were following as well. The driver would be the one taking four of us to our destination. I was still busy arranging the next few days' schedules while the three of them spoke to each other. 

I hate to admit but Tsuna seemed to try avoiding my gaze when we look at each other. He only talked to me about the work stuff, nothing more than that. Even if Gokudera realised about us, he was not going to be a busybody. I did not expect Yamamoto to be the first person to ask about it.

"Minoru, Tsuna, why both of you are so quiet?"

The brunet and I flinched at the Rain Guardian's question and we dared not look at each other. Gokudera hissed at Yamamoto, warning him not to ask that such question before Tsuna cleared his throat to answer his question.

"I don't see anything wrong about it. I do not wish to disturb Ayano with her work."

I was wondering if he meant it. I was still looking at my tablet and pretending to check on something. He did not say anything further and everything went silent during the journey.

The Lingotto Famiglia's subordinates greeted the four of us with respect and leading to their boss's guest room. This family's place was almost as big as the minister's residence and it did not look like it was a barn or in the middle of a farm despite they owned a mine. It was a large villa like any mafia bosses lived in. 

The boss himself, Ambrogio was seated in the wheelchair with the assistance of his right-hand man. He looked like he was in his fifties and had a warm smile. He mentioned that his legs had paralysed due to an unknown illness. We took a seat and had a pleasant talk with Don Lingotto and he was quite surprised to see how young Vongola Decimo was since most of the Vongola bosses were almost elderly except for the eighth boss. Tsuna did not find it troublesome as he was interested to talk with him. 

In the middle of our conversation, a young woman came in to serve some refreshments before Don Lingotto later introduced his youngest daughter to us. She had her father's looks and something tells me that she had the higher potential to take over her family's business. It was then, Gokudera and Yamamoto decided to excuse themselves to have a break and that left only me and Tsuna with Don Lingotto and his daughter. 

I should have left as well.

"Don Vongola, I've been wondering if you could consider this idea of mine," said Ambrogio.

"What idea do you want me to consider, Don Lingotto?" the brunet asked.

"I see that you are still single and you did not put any effort into finding a love partner for yourself. What if I let you marry my daughter instead? I am making sure that every mafia business deal between both of us will go as what you want to see."

I froze after hearing Ambrogio's suggestion. He wanted Tsuna to marry his daughter? Was that too sudden?

"Why is that you want me to marry your daughter instead of other people?" 

"Isn't that obvious? I just want to strengthen the ties between the Lingotto and the Vongola. I believe you want that to happen, right?"

Please, do not ever agree. Whatever it was, just do not agree with his idea. I did not even know why I did not allow Tsuna to say yes for that. My mind kept on telling him to not say yes.

"This is way too sudden, Don Lingotto. Maybe you should give me some time to reconsider this idea."

"Oh, please take your time. I'll be waiting for your answer."

I suddenly excused myself and I left the guest room as far as possible. Far away so that no one could see me crying. I did not remember when was the last time I cry. It was an indirect rejection of me. 

Tsuna said that he wanted to reconsider, so was he thinking of marrying another woman?

If I were him, maybe I would marry that woman to strengthen the ties between two families. She had a better status; she was the daughter of a rich family and I was only a secretary. She was far prettier than I was or at least better than that Clelia Federigo.

I only could fully support his decision while letting my heart broke into pieces. I would be faking a smile on my face, congratulating him.

I could not believe that I was so drastically weak. I wanted to meet my mother so badly.

* * *

I wanted to make sure that my red eyes were not too visible for anyone to see, or my swollen eyes. I spent quite a long time in a washroom, mostly crying and rambling about my bad luck. I should not have fallen for that brunet in the first place. I was on my way back to the guest room when Gokudera suddenly came to me with a frown look. 

"Where have you been?? Tenth has been bugging me about your sudden disappearance," he said with his quick tone.

"S-sorry..." I tried to give my apologetic smile. "I'm just having a stomachache."

"You could have just-" the silver-haired stopped as he noticed my swollen eyes. "Are you okay, Miss Minoru?"

"I'm fine here," I answered back. "Sorry for making you worry. I'll just head back and do my job."

I tried to walk fast when Gokudera grabbed my arm in sudden. He was not convinced with the answer I gave and he wanted to know why I was in a bad condition.

"Minoru, you're crying. Is it because of Tenth?"

"D-do I look like I'm crying here?" I snapped and I moved my arm away from his grip. "Why do you want to know so much about what am I doing earlier?"

"That is what Tenth had been wondering. You suddenly disappeared in the middle of the conversation!" 

"I told you I'm fine! You don't need to know what I am thinking right now!"

"And I want to know what you've been thinking."

The silver-haired and I turned to look at the brunet and he was looking straight at us. Tsuna's current reaction did make Gokudera speechless as if he knew his boss was either in rage or highly curious. I felt a cold sensation coming inside my heart. Did he hear what I have just say?

"We'll talk, Ayano. Only both of us."


	21. Confession

How did it feel to have a partner, telling you that they need to talk seriously? I was about to face that situation when Tsuna found out about my sudden disappearance and my confused thoughts that made me cry. Gokudera and Yamamoto were not able to help me out because Tsuna firmly said that this was between me and him. No one should interrupt.

I was thinking to escape when the brunet grabbed my wrist and dragging me along to another guest room. While making sure that the room was a little private, he assigned his other two guardians to guard the door to avoid someone entering the room. Both of us were inside the locked guest room and I did not want to make eye contact with him. Tsuna let out a deep sigh and loosening his necktie, giving his concerned look at me.

"You suddenly left me talking to Don Lingotto and you took a long time to return. Is it true you are not feeling well like you've said to Hayato?"

"M-maybe..." I answered nervously, still refusing to look at him.

"What do you mean by maybe?" the brunet asked curiously.

"I-I don't know. Maybe I'm just not feeling well, so I have to excuse myself to the washroom to see if I'm fine or not-"

"You're lying. You left because you hear that Don Lingotto wants me to marry his daughter."

Crap. How could I forget that he knew the situation better than I do? His observation was sharp.

"W-well, I think it's a coincidence. I-I left when he talks about that at the same time."

"I wonder if it is indeed you're unwell that you have to excuse yourself...or you are upset."

"I'm not upset!" I snapped and I turned to look at him. "How would you ever feel to see someone you like ended up marrying another woman?? That's exactly what I am feeling right now!"

Tsuna's eyes widened with surprise and I slipped almost everything. I explained everything. I almost fought with Clelia Federigo because of him and I started to change my appearance as well all for the brunet-

I stopped talking and I was in shock as well. My face was burning with embarrassment. He was not supposed to know what had been in my mind for so long.

"For all this time...you have been in love with me...without my knowledge?"

"Y-yes, because...no one ever treats me so well. I mean, your kindness and your thoughtfulness are the reason why I would fall for you..." I covered my reddened face while saying with my sad tone. "But I cannot put some high hopes that...you would love me too. You could just find a better woman to marry off. I'm nothing but...just a plain young woman working for her boss."

I felt like I was done expressing all my feelings and probably waiting for his response. It did not matter if he chose not to respond and I was ready to hear him say that he never think of me at all.

I heard his footsteps coming towards me. He then moved my hands away from my face and he made me looking straight into his eyes. Without any warning, Tsuna suddenly placed his lips on mine and refusing to let me go. He pulled me against himself and deepened his kiss. I almost screamed with shock and I quickly pushed him away, breaking off the sudden kiss from him.

"T....Tsuna......what the....what are you doing.....??" I gasped with shock.

"Sorry," the brunet apologised. "Is it your first time being kissed by someone?"

"I don't simply let anyone kiss me like that!" I exclaimed. "Now tell me, why you suddenly kiss me??"

"Well, does liking someone count as a reason?"

"H-huh? T-that means you...like me??"

"From the beginning, we've met," Tsuna smiled. "The moment you rejected my job offer because you prioritize your family more than wealth is one of the reasons why I would fall for you. Having you as my secretary makes me wanted to know more about you and you have a strong loyalty towards the Vongola Famiglia and my other important people."

"I...I see. But why are you ignoring me during the meeting with Don Lingotto?"

"Because I thought you were angry at me."

"Since when I'm angry at you?"

"For teasing you so much that night?"

"That night?" I blinked and I remembered. "O-oh, that night..."

"I would probably think that you are not comfortable with the way I tease you, and you don't like it," he sighed. "That makes me conclude that you might not feel the same way as I do."

"I-I didn't say that I'm not comfortable..." I stuttered when I still thinking of that day. "I'm just...not ready to handle s-something like that..."

"Okay, I get it," Tsuna laughed a little and he gently linked his hand with my hand, smiling warmly at me. "I'm not going overboard with my teasing actions, Ayano. Since both of us have confessed our feelings, I think holding hands should not be a problem for you, right?"

I could not believe it. Our hands were linking and I felt the absolute warmth feeling inside me. In which I started to grow much comfortable with Tsuna. I knew many people would start a rumour about 'the boss and the secretary are officially dating each other', but I had never been happier.

Gokudera and Yamamoto were the first to find out that their boss or their best friend was in a relationship with the secretary. They were surprised but they were happy to hear about it. 

It was lucky that Don Lingotto was an understanding person. He would not force Tsuna to marry his daughter all just to strengthen the ties between two families. He said that he was testing Tsuna if he intended to marry his daughter for the Lingotto Famiglia's fortune or his sincerity towards his daughter. Any mafia bosses would do anything to gain that such benefit and it was ultimately rare to find a wise boss like Don Vongola. 

Tsuna could have married his daughter for that benefit but he had found a better way to strengthen the ties. 

* * *

The news between me and Tsuna had spread. His guardians were surprised and so do his close allies. The one who could not stop congratulating the brunet was Don Tomaso (Naito Longchamp) and it took some time for Gokudera to stop him from bothering his boss. At least Tsuna had heard about Naito possessing that Hell Ring before I gave it to Mukuro for a better precaution. 

The lead servant cried hysterically when she heard the news and had been locked up in her room for hours to calm down. I sighed irritably and I told the other servants to continue doing their job with the assistance of the butler. 

"Haru and Kyoko must be really happy to hear the news about you and boss," Chrome smiled before she took another sip of her tea. "I've been waiting for so long to see this thing happen."

"C-Chrome, you're going to make me drop my coffee..." I faltered a little and I was trying not to spill my cup of coffee onto my laptop.

I was taking a temporary break while Tsuna and his guardians were having a meeting. I was in the garden, having tea time with Chrome and Bianchi. My relationship had just started but I was not getting used to it.

"You look so troubled, Ayano. Is there anything wrong?" Bianchi asked with concern.

"I don't know..." I sighed and I stopped typing. "I am happy that both me and Tsuna are finally together, but...I feel rather awkward."

"How is that you feel awkward?" asked Chrome.

"This is my first time, so I keep on wondering what the couple do when they are going out on a date. And I did think if everyone would react about a boss going out with his secretary."

"You poor thing," Bianchi laughed lightly and pinched both of my cheeks gently. "You are overthinking of how will people see you dating with your boyfriend who happens to be your boss. There's no need for that. As long as you're happy to spend some time with him, it should be good enough."

"I'm telling you that boss is honest with his feelings," Chrome added. "He used to be afraid of having his future wife to get involved with the mafia once he took over."

"Maybe he can worry less already. Ayano can protect herself if she is in danger."

I slowly smiled back at them and I let out a relieved sigh. My phone rang at the same time and I thought that Tsuna might have called. I answered the call and before I could get to sip my coffee, a man was yelling at my ears with his thunderous voice. I swear, my eardrums were going to tear off soon enough and I was calmly talking to my loud caller.

"Greetings. You are now speaking with Segretario Minoru. What can I do to help you?"

 _"VOIII!!"_ the man yelled again and I was going to throw my phone at the pond sooner. _"So you're that secretary working for that brat, aren't you?!"_

"Y-yes, I am. I will be much appreciated if you please, not to yell while talking on the phone-"

 _"Huh?! Did you just tell me not to yell??"_ the caller then laughed even louder than he talked. _"Fat chance! This is indeed the way I speak!!"_

"Who the hell are you then?!" I yelled back at him with irritation.

_"What?! You don't know who I am??!"_

My mind was blank to figure out who was that loud caller. Chrome nervously tapped my shoulder and she showed me her written message. My face went pale when I read her message.

**_Superbi Squalo, second-in-command of the elite Varia assassination squad._ **

"O-oh...I didn't expect your sudden call, Signor Superbi Squalo..." I muttered with my low tone.

 _"The hell with that formality!! Just address me as Squalo!!"_ he yelled again. _"I'm getting busier here right now, so you better come over to the Varia headquarters and get this shitty secret information to your beloved boss!"_

"You want me to get that secret information from you and pass it to Tsuna?"

_"Do I need to repeat it?? Hurry up and get it now before my boss starts to throw everything out-!"_

The call ended up with a noisy scene on that phone ( _"For f*ck sake....!! Stop messing up everything!!"_ ) and I gave a deep sigh. Chrome and Bianchi were still looking at me and was wondering what was happening. I just want a few seconds of silence to ease down my sore eardrum thanks to Squalo's extreme loud voice.

"It looks like the Varia had returned from their secret mission," Chrome spoke up.

"Secret mission?" I asked.

"Yes. I remembered that boss had assigned them to retrieve something important a week ago," Chrome commented. "He must be still investigating about that mayor of Milan."

"Wait, Tsuna is still not over about him?"

"Boss is still thinking how did that mayor know about the mafia secrets and who told him to eliminate any mafia families. Maybe the information that the Varia had just retrieved will give the newer clues."

"I see," I placed my phone in my blazer pocket. "I'll go to the Varia headquarters. Although, this would be my first time stepping into their area."

"First time?" Bianchi blinked with surprise. "You're saying that you've never seen them before?"

"Yeah. When I start working for Tsuna, I hardly meet any of these Varia members."

Chrome and Bianchi exchanged their looks and they later explain to me what I should or should not do once I arrived at that Varia's place. From everything they said to me, the only thing I should worry about was that boss himself named Xanxus. 

Even that name was already telling me that he was the one you should never want to mess up with.

* * *

**_Extra_ **

Clelia Federigo gripped her phone tightly with anger before she threw it on the floor. Her close friends had shared one of the latest gossips about Vongola Decimo's relationship with his secretary and she was angry to hear it. She badly wanted to be friends with Tsuna again and had been hoping to reconcile with him despite that she had broken the omerta.

"You little b*tch. How dare you steal Decimo from me," she growled and then went on to smash the small vase on the floor again. 

Not long after that, a tall Russian man came into her room and his eyes blinked with surprise to see the mess she had just made. Clelia had her frustrated look on her face before she noticed someone sitting beside her.

"Oh, I'm sorry...I didn't see you coming in..." she muttered.

"Is there anything wrong, Clelia?" the Russian man asked with his low, gentle tone.

"I'm...upset..."

"Why are you upset?"

"Some...someone stole my precious friend from me..." Clelia almost sobbed. "I won't forgive that little witch..."

"Come on now, my dear," the Russian man smirked. "You should not be upset about it. Your precious friend is already in a relationship with his girlfriend and you could have at least be happy for him."

"But, I-"

"Shh..." he placed his finger at her lips. "Should I remind you that you are now married to a Russian mafia boss? I do not want my wife to cheat on me."

Clelia nervously nodded her head. That murderous glint in his pale grey eyes was telling her not to make him angry. She had forgotten that she was married to this Russian man after he saved her life years ago. He simply smiled and stood up from where he sat before he picked up the phone that she threw earlier. His eyes focused on the latest gossip news with a picture of Tsuna and Ayano. 

He furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at Minoru Ayano's picture.

"She looks familiar. Is she...?"


	22. Spy

I walked through the forest and was careful not to get into any secret traps. I was on my way to the Varia's headquarters. Their place was pretty reclusive because no one was supposed to know who they were and they only appeared when they were given an important mission. While I was walking, I got a phone call from Tsuna and I had been talking to him before I could reach that place. 

_"I'm done with the meeting, so I guess that I should be free for the rest of the day."_

"Yeah, you are indeed free. You need to get some rest before you can continue with your work."

 _"Oh, is that so?"_ Tsuna chuckled lightly.

"You worked too hard already," I sighed. "By the way, are you still checking about that mayor's case?"

_"Somehow, yes."_

"Is it getting more complicated other than he attempted to commit arson crime?"

_"I'm afraid yes, but I'm not going to tell more from here. Now, where are you, Ayano? I didn't see you around with Chrome and Bianchi."_

"I'm on my way to the Varia's headquarters. Squalo just called me and he wants me to get the secret information from him."

_"Wait a minute. Did you say Squalo tell you to go over to his place to get the secret information?"_

"Yes, he did," I stopped at my track in the middle of the forest. "Is there anything wrong?"

_"...Ayano, return to the Vongola headquarters right now."_

I tensed up when Tsuna told me to return. I was about to reply when an arrow shot across me, inches away from my face. I slowly turned my head to where the arrow had landed and to my shock, it was coated with red liquid.

I ended my call and I was surrounded by a group of masked men. There were all wearing the same bearlike masks and their physical appearances looked like they were a bunch of wild animal hunters. It was obvious that they were larger than me.

Some of them started to shoot me again with their arrows and I quickly dodged their attacks. I had to hide behind the large tree so that all the arrows hit at it instead. I had no time to think of why they would suddenly want to attack me and I could hear their footsteps approaching my hiding spot. Tsuna was still calling me but I could not answer my phone. I later noticed a long metal rod on the grassy ground and it reminded me of how Hibari used his steel tonfas to deflect any possible attacks. 

I came up with a better counter-attack.

Those masked men found me and they started to shoot more arrows at me. I picked up the metal rod and I swung it repeatedly like a propeller ship. All the arrows were deflected at the same time and before they could grab more arrows, I quickly ran to them and hit at their stomach harshly with the same rod. Some of them came to throw their fists at me and all I did was to hit at their respective spots; heads, chests, stomach and legs. I had to use up all my energy to take them down despite that my hands were getting sore. 

All of them were down and there was one man left to be defeated. He was the largest among all the men and I was getting tired. He gave a wide smirk, making me realise that he purposely did not fight so that I could just fight with all those men with all my strength. I gritted my teeth with annoyance.

"Who are you? And why are you attacking me??" I asked while panting.

"You don't need to know about us. We are here to eliminate you so that one of us can act as you to destroy your family from the inside, " that man answered with his low hoarse tone. 

"So, you tricked me by asking me to come here?" I added. "Wait, you have Squalo as your hostage?"

"Close enough, but we are not dumb to have that swordsman as our hostage. We simply used his voice to trick you."

"Then, how about my number? Where did you get my number??"

"We hacked it. It was not easy to hack the Vongola Famiglia's system but at least we could retrieve 5% of it and that was how we got your number."

"Damn it..." I cursed. Who the hell were they?

"Enough questions, time to kill you off," that large man took out his enormous axe and he swung towards me. 

I skipped away from him and I was in total shock. That large axe was too heavy for anyone to carry with one hand. As he approached, I ran aside and I was attempting to go near him to attack him from a close distance. He swung it once again and I almost going to hit his neck with my elbow.

"Naive."

I blinked and he suddenly grabbed my ankle before he threw me straight into the tree. Due to his strength, I was hit by the tree and I yelped with pain. It felt like my backbone was severely injured and I collapsed to the ground, unable to move at all. He grinned darkly and he was going to decapitate my head.

Within milliseconds, someone came to me and punched that man. I weakly looked up and I saw Tsuna standing in front of me. With the help of my lenses, I could see the orange flames burning on his forehead and his red gear gloves. The colour of his eyes had turned into gold-like orange and he was staring at that collapsed man with his deadly look. 

It was the first time I had seen Tsuna defeated that man larger than himself with only one strong punch. 

The brunet then knelt and gently lift me so that he could see me closely. He was still with his orange flames and it was surprisingly warm, just like the day where I could see the colours of Deathperation flames for the first time. I was trying not to whimper with pain and he furrowed his eyebrow with worry.

"[Name], are you alright?" Tsuna asked.

"Y...n-no..." I gritted my teeth. "Hurts like hell..."

"I'll have Lussuria to treat your wounds. So, please bear that pain for a moment."

I nodded my head weakly and he gave a warm smile to me. He carefully lifted me with his arms and he made all his way to the Varia's headquarters. I could only lean my head against his chest and my eyes slowly closed due to my tiredness. 

* * *

"I only ask for your favour, Lussuria. If you can heal Ayano, I'll let you have all those unconscious masked men as a part of your collection."

"Well, who says I can't heal anyone? You better keep your words because I want all of them~"

"Yes, I'll give them to you. Right after I've forced them to answer my questions."

"Alright then, you better be off and talk to others. We did manage to get something you want."

I was lying on the arm sofa. I was half-conscious and I could hear their conversation. The man with his flirtatious tone, I guess he must be Lussuria. When Tsuna mentioned that he could have all those masked men as his collection, some beads of cold sweat came from my head. Maybe I should not ask about it.

"Oh, dear. You're awake," Lussuria came to me and check through my possible injuries. "You have a better body build than any other ladies out there. That explains why you can fight off those masked men who are much bigger than you are."

"Uh, thanks..." I replied awkwardly.

"Your backbone is only twenty per cent injured, so I'll have my precious pet to heal you up."

He took out his box weapon and opening it to summon his Sun Peacock. The peacock opened up its feathers and released the fair amount of its Sun Flames. I could see those yellow flames clearly and these flames were slowly healing up my injuries. 

"S-Signor Lussuria...that Sun Flame matches with your animal box weapon..." I smiled weakly back to him.

"Oh, really~??" his face brightened. "No one ever says something like that about my beautiful Sun peacock~"

"Is that so? Because...I mean it..." I added.

"Do not worry, my dear. I love your honesty. Especially the fact that you are supposed to be flame-blindness, you're saying as if you are looking at the colours of the flame for the first time," he grinned at me. "One more thing, I am much preferred if you can call me Mama Luss than that formal calling."

"O-okay..."

I was still with the healing process when I saw someone standing nearby the door. I turned to look and I flinched with shock to see how frightening that person's look. He had those ugly scars on his face and that devilish red eyes. I could not believe that there would be another person who was much scarier than Hibari Kyoya. That wrath stare was completely enough to give you a one-way ticket to heaven.

"Ah, good day, boss. I assume that the meeting is over?"

Boss? Lussuria mentioned that. So, that man is Xanxus, the one Chrome and Bianchi warned me about the leader of the Varia?

He was not even responding to Lussuria's words. He just stared intently at me and walked away. I could hear what he said from outside the room.

"Great fighter...but wasted on that brat instead of here."

Wasted? Did he mean that I should be joining Varia instead of Vongola?

Tsuna then came into the room and he gave a smile of relief to see how well I was. Lussuria then excused himself and he left to collect those masked men after the brunet let him take all of them. He took my hand and grasped gently before he spoke.

"[Name], you're feeling better now?"

"I'm better for now...all thanks to Lussuria..."

"I'm really glad you're safe. I should have asked Chrome and Bianchi about the phone call you received from that fake Squalo."

"Y-yeah, I've heard that from that masked man. He wanted to lure me out so that he could kill me and send someone else like me to annihilate you from inside."

"I am aware of that. Also, Squalo did suspect that there was someone act as a spy in their headquarters. That made them easier to copy his voice and tricked you into their trap. Belphegor found out who was that spy and he had killed them before the situation could get worse." 

"There was a spy?" I asked and Tsuna nodded his head.

"Remember those few mafia families who died in the fire attack? That arson crime committed by the mayor of Milan?"

I nodded my head as well. Something tells me that it was bad news.

"Those perished mafia families already had a spy who secretly works for a secret organisation. I am still working on who is behind all this incident. All I know that they are planning to rule the whole mafia world," Tsuna gripped my hand a little tighter. "I have been contacting Naito, Yuni, Dino and Enma, telling them to be more careful with any possible spies in their family, and I need to do the same."

"Tsuna, please don't put more pressure on yourself," I said worriedly.

"Why couldn't I? The Varia was almost in danger and you almost got yourself killed. I don't want anything to happen-"

I cut his sentences off by placing my lips on his, which made his eyes widened in surprise. His tensed look then softened and he was calmer than before. I smiled and I leaned my forehead against his while putting my arms around his shoulders.

"Feeling much better now, Tsuna?"

"I...yeah, I guess..." the brunet was rather embarrassed while giving a small smile. "Thanks, I should have calmed down from the start."

"Better than having Reborn to kick you around to calm you down, right?" I grinned. "Why don't you just take a full break for today and let these worry come for another day?"

"It's hard for me to do so, but since my dearest girlfriend asked me to, then I should not refuse."

I was worried as he was but I do not want him to stress over for this matter. We later went back to our headquarters and I was making sure that he was completely off from his paperwork job until tomorrow.

I wish I knew who was the leader of the secret organisation.


	23. Turmoil

A secret organisation had been planning something big and they had sent many of their spies to weaken the mafia family's power. The mafia families who died in the arson attack already had a spy among them and had been secretly informed the mayor of Milan about them before he launched a sudden arson attack on them. 

The former mayor still refused to tell who was the one ordered him to eliminate the mafia families. He kept on saying that he was the one fully responsible for that attack. 

Gokudera once did interrogate him and he failed to obtain any information from him. As the situation was getting worse, the silver-haired went to question him again and this time, accompanied with both me and Tsuna.

"You're bringing your boss this time? Fat chance, you won't be getting anything from me," the former mayor scoffed and he leaned against the chair he sat on. Compared to the last time we met, he was much skinnier and haggard. It was due to the humiliation he had from his supporters and the citizens. I would be disappointed too if I found out that the most trusted politician committed this crime.

"I am deeply sorry to hear about your family members. I know you still hate the mafia because of their death but I want you to know that they do not wish for you to continue with this such cruelty. They won't come back alive even after you've eliminated the mafia families," Tsuna explained.

"Look here, young man. This is my choice and I am making sure that the mafias will be wiped out from this earth. See how many lives they had taken?? Even your family did such bloody sins and don't tell me you're denying it!"

"Watch your mouth, a**hole," Gokudera growled with anger.

"Did I say anything wrong??" the former mayor sneered. "I did some research and I am pretty sure that the Vongola Famiglia is no exception of committing such violent acts."

I thought of going to punch his face when I noticed Tsuna was gripping his fists tightly with his tensed look. Was he being offended by what the other had just said? He even stopped his right-hand man from snapping in front of that former mayor.

"Yes, I admit that the Vongola used to do that. I've seen it. I've seen how many people died at the hands of the previous bosses of my family. Because of this, I did refuse to become the next mafia boss and I tend to destroy this family with my own hands."

Gokudera and I were staring back at the brunet with surprise. We never knew that he would say something like that. The former mayor was quiet and merely listened to his words.

"When I say I want to destroy the Vongola with my own hands, it's not that I would make it to the point that it should not exist. I want to destroy the current Vongola and bringing back its former glory. My ancestor, Vongola Primo, he created this family to protect people that even the laws can't do for them. The previous bosses did maintain the real purpose of the family, which is to protect the people. They did it, but they use the wrong way to do so. I want to change that. This family exists for that reason, and I will continue Primo's legacy."

The former mayor pursed his chapped lips as he looked like he had nothing to say against the brunet. Tsuna then placed both of his arms on the table and stared back at the other.

"All I want is for you to cooperate with us. That way, no more people will get hurt. You just need to tell who is the one telling you to eliminate the mafias, and I'll make sure that your daughter will be safe under my protection."

"W-what??" the former mayor flinched and his eyes widened with shock. "H-how did you...how did you know about Elvira?? N-no one is supposed to know that I have a daughter!"

"Well, now I know," Tsuna gave a slight smirk. "The paparazzi news can't be fully trusted even if they managed to get a picture of you carrying a baby in your arms. She has your looks, and I can assume that it is your child. I did some extra research to confirm that she is your daughter."

"P-please..." the former mayor broke down with tears. "I beg you...not to hurt Elvira..."

"I will never hurt her," Tsuna said calmly.

"S...she is the only one I have...after my wife died..." the other sobbed hard. "My family members indeed died after being killed by the mafias...but I swear...I've changed after marrying my wife and having Elvira in my life. I've never thought of this revenge at all. Right after I was in the running of becoming the next mayor of Milan, a stranger called me and h-he can promise that he will make sure that I could be the new mayor...if I did what he said..."

"Did you do what he says?" the brunet asked.

"I wanted a clean election, so I refused his offer. But I never knew he would be that serious..." the former mayor wiped off his tears. "He knew that my family members had been killed by the mafias. He manipulated me to pay revenge towards all the mafia families. To add that, he killed my wife..."

"He killed your wife?" Gokudera asked.

"Yes, he did...with the note attached around her bloody neck. It says... _Your daughter is next. Be prepared if you refuse again._ "

The three of us were never expecting to have this happen. The former mayor had been the victim all the time. He had never seen the face of that stranger and the voice he heard from him was rather squeaky like a mouse. The silver-haired confirmed that the stranger must have been using a fake voice to cover his real voice. 

"One last question. Did you know anything about the Arcobaleno curse?" the brunet asked further.

"No. Nothing at all..." the former mayor answered.

"What makes you purchasing some weapons from the Inverno Famiglia? You even know that the boss himself is an Arcobaleno."

"I don't know..." he pleaded. "That stranger instructed me to purchase some weapons from that family and mention this weird curse thing to that kid..." 

Tsuna sighed with relief to hear that the former mayor did not know anything about the Trinisette. He was more worried about that stranger who possibly knew about it. We took some time to convince the former mayor to keep himself calm and pretending that he did not say anything about his secret. We left the prison room and Tsuna went on to make an important call.

_"Is that you, Tsuna?"_

"Yes, it's me. Enma. I have a big favour to ask."

_"Sure. What can I help you?"_

"Do you remember the girl with green eyes you played with at the orphanage? The one you mentioned when you are doing some charity work?"

_"Oh, yes, I remembered. What about her?"_

"Could you please bring her back to your headquarters? Tell to the orphanage director that you've found someone who will adopt her. Just any reasons you can give to have her placed under your temporary protection."

_"Alright. I'll do that."_

"And one more thing, Enma."

_"Yes?"_

"Please be careful with any possible spies around you."

* * *

I received a call from Adelheid and she told me that the girl named Elvira was doing fine and she was happily playing with Ooyama Rauji. I smiled when I heard about it and I reminded her that Elvira must not have absolute knowledge about her father's whereabouts to protect her life. That former mayor might at risk for telling the whole secret plan to me, Tsuna and Gokudera. As long as his daughter was safe, he did not mind being killed by that stranger.

I resumed with my work and check back my tablet to see the upcoming schedule. Nothing much about it except that Tsuna had to go for an urgent meeting with Don Cavallone and their former tutor, Reborn. I was not sure when the brunet will return to the headquarters as I went around. I could see Gokudera was giving some sort of orders to the subordinates to be extra careful with any possible spies sneaking into the headquarters.

All of a sudden, I heard a shrieking voice coming from the kitchen. I quickly went there and I saw a lead female servant repeatedly apologising to Lambo for the burnt cookies she had made. I came in to see what was going on.

"Lambo, what happened here?"

"I am supposed to give these cookies for my aunt Octavia but she ruined everything," he answered with a distressed tone. "Now I can't make it in time to give these to her."

"I am so sorry!" the lead servant apologised again. "I...I was rather preoccupied with other work without knowing the proper time to bring it out!"

Who knew that this situation would end up as stress relief? We had been too stressed up about the secret organisation plans and I found myself here in this little mess. I checked back my watch as I asked Lambo.

"What time you're supposed to give these cookies to your aunt, Lambo?"

"By three in the evening, the right timing for a tea break."

"And is she fine with any flavour of the cookies?"

"Anything is fine..."

"Great, I've thought of something in my mind," I rolled up my sleeves and I turned to look at the lead servant. "I want you to forget about our enmity for a while and please help me to gather some ingredients."

She nodded and she quickly went back inside the kitchen after I had told her what I needed. Thanks to one of my part-time job experience, I did learn to bake some cookies and pastries and I made some for my mother back then. With Lambo and the lead servant's help, we managed to finish up baking the cookies for a short time. The Lightning guardian thanked me several times before I had to make him leave to deliver those cookies to his aunt. 

The lead servant seemed to loosen up a little and she no longer had such hatred towards me. I just give her a small smile and I told her to serve the remaining cookies to all the guardians for a tea break. I excused myself to my room again and I started to arrange the paperwork in order.

* * *

My mother was crying in front of an unknown woman. I was supposed to sleep when I saw them at the front door of my house. That woman was giving news about the death of my father and my mother almost collapsed after hearing the distressing news. I ran towards her and I kept on calling out for my mother to wake up. It was only a little time my father spent some time with us and he was already gone. 

I snapped from my dream and I quickly sat up, rubbing my wet, tired eyes. I was crying.

Why would I suddenly dream about my deceased father?

I shook my head hard and I noticed that I had fallen asleep during my work. It was lucky that I did not mess up the paperwork I had arranged. It was already midnight and I stood up to go to Tsuna's room, in case if he had returned.

I opened his door room and I saw him sleeping in his bed, still with his suit and his shoes on. I could see how seriously tired he was as I close the door behind me. The first thing I do was to remove his shoes and his socks, then his suit and his necktie. I got closer to him as I could see his tensed look at his tired face. His current expression made me worry as well.

Right after covering him with a thick quilt, I was going to climb out from his bed. His hand suddenly grabbed my arm and I fell straight to his side. I was rather alarmed and I tried to get off from him but all he did was to wrap my waist with his arms and buried his face in my shoulder. I almost yelled ("T-Tsuna, I don't think this is even...appropriate!") and I had been pulling his arms away from my waist.

"...don't go...[Name]..."

"W-what...?? What the-"

"...don't leave..." he pulled me even closer and nuzzled at my neck. "...stay with me..."

His voice sounded like he was in sadness. He did mumble further until he was completely asleep. I gave up struggling and I placed both of my hands onto his hands. I ended up sleeping in his room since I was tired as well. I softly smiled before my words slipped out from my mouth.

"I'll never leave you, Tsuna. I love you."


	24. Meeting

Ever had old-fashioned relatives who would tell you that it was wrong to sleep with boys or men before the marriage? I once met up with my annoying aunt who often scolded me for not acting like a proper lady and she often blamed my mother for my boyish behaviour. She boasted about her well-mannered perfect daughter and I was somewhat got sick with her attitude. 

Would she think her daughter was still perfect whenever I had seen her hanging out with other good-looking boys at the late night? It was until one day she found out that her daughter went into a wrong turn with another guy and I had not seen my aunt ever since. She must have been embarrassed by her daughter's actions.

Most of the girls around my age already slept with their boyfriends many times and I just got started-

Not me, Tsuna was the one who unconsciously pulled me to sleep with him. I would hit anyone who did this to me but he was distressed last night in his sleep that I decided to accompany him the whole night. I drifted into a deep sleep and it was nothing but a pleasant dream I had. I did not know how long I had slept and the one that slowly woke me up was Tsuna's panicked voice.

"It's nothing! Please don't misunderstand, Hayato!"

"N-no, it's fine. I really should not disturb both of you."

"I didn't do anything, I swear! We are fully clothed here!"

"Alright, I get it. Just tell me when you're done, Tenth."

I groggily woke up and I yawned. When the brunet suddenly gripped my shoulders, I flinched with shock. He had that extreme guilt look on his face and I nervously smiled back at him.

"Is...is there anything wrong, Tsuna?"

"Ayano, please tell me," he said with his quick tone. "Did I do anything bad to you last night??"

"L-last night? Well, I-"

"Just tell me, please!" he gritted his teeth. "I hate to think about it but I'll take full responsibility if I did it to you!"

"Wait! Hold on a second," I interrupted to make him stop talking. "You did not do anything wrong. You are just tired of the work that you fell asleep with your full clothes on."

"Then...why we ended up sleeping together??"

"I...I was about to leave after making sure that you're comfortable with your sleep, and you suddenly dragged me along, refusing to let me go. I was tired as well, so I fell asleep with you."

Tsuna probably took his time to realise that he had been so worn out lately. I sat up and stared back at him, placing my hand onto his hand.

"What has been on your mind lately, Tsuna? I feel that you're worrying about something bad might happen."

"Why do you think I am worried about that?" he asked curiously.

"Because last night, you told me not to leave you, and stay by your side. Sounds as if I might go away."

"Did...did I say that...to you?"

I nodded my head slowly and he blinked. He was rather speechless while his cheeks turning light red with embarrassment. He took a deep breath and he went on to explain that Naito Longchamp had been attacked by a spy who disguised as one of his subordinates. He was lucky that Pantera took the damage for him and she was severely injured. 

It was the first time Tsuna had seen Naito cried with guilt when he saw her serious injury and Mangusta mentioned that it was also the first time Pantera protected her boss. 

The brunet was afraid that anyone he cared might end up like her and he had been planning some proper strategies with Dino and Reborn. He also explained that some mafia families were about to start a war over a misunderstanding issue.

"I can't believe it," I gasped with horror. "What is that secret organisation is trying to do anyway?"

"I don't know yet. Their possible motive is to take over the whole mafia world. It seems that they are weakening the trust among the mafia members before they could destroy them," Tsuna explained as he gripped his hair tightly. "If I don't act fast, more people will get hurt like what they did to Pantera."

I was almost out of my thoughts as I was trying my hardest to give him some confidence. My eyes looked around his room until I spotted an old-looking photograph on his desk. 

If I was not mistaken, it was a group picture of the Vongola Famiglia's first generation. They had almost the same look as Tsuna and his guardians. If Primo was at Tsuna's place, he would be able to solve this problem calmly, with the help of his loyal guardians.

"Tsuna, you want to know what am I thinking?" I started to talk and a small smile was formed on my lips. "After we're done with this big problem, I want to go back to Japan and see my mother."

"You want to see your mother?" asked Tsuna.

"Yes, and right after I see my mother, I'll meet up with Haru and Kyoko so that we can talk. Then maybe we could buy something for your mother. Even better, we should have a holiday together. The summer is coming and we can see the fireworks together," I turned to look at the brunet. "What are you going to do next after we've dealt with that problem?"

"What I want to do?" he took some time to think. "Maybe we could go on holiday together. We hardly had one, so I might take the chance. I can invite Dino, Yuni and her family as well. I've never been watching the colourful fireworks lately, so I'm returning to Japan during the summer break."

"Exactly," I smiled brightly. "That is why we need to do our best to deal with that secret organization's evil plan. We'll cooperate with other allied families and we'll show them how powerful we are."

Tsuna no longer felt distressed and he warmly smiled back at me. He gripped my hand tightly and this time, he had his confident look instead of his tired look.

"Thank you...and I'm glad that you've been at my side, [Name]."

* * *

Nothing had happened after the sudden ambush on Tomaso Famiglia. Pantera was slowly recovering and that made Naito much happier to see her safe. Tsuna and his guardians were in a meeting at the Varia's headquarters with his allied families. They were getting prepared and I did most of the paperwork for the brunette. I was glad to see him back to his calm demeanour.

I was checking my emails when I received a mysterious message from someone named Arianna. 

**_From : Arianna_ ** **_ [private-email-address] _ **

**_To:_ ** **_ minoruayano100@redboxmail.com _ **

**_Date : (current date), 1.30 p.m._ **

**_I wish to speak with you about a private matter. Please come over to Mediterranean Cafe at 3 p.m. sharp. You must be alone._ **

**_P.S.: If you do not fully trust me, then I will give you a hint. It is about your deceased father._ **

"H-huh??" I was slightly confused and I read the message again. 

This person wanted to see me alone and she even mentioned my deceased father. How did she know about me or my father? I had to be extra careful because I was afraid that she might turn out to be a spy. I could have just ignored the message and delete it.

Come to think again, I did not know the real reason why my father died. My mother never told me anything about his job and I never asked, for fear that I made her cry just like that day. There was an unknown woman came to our house to tell us the news of my father's death.

I could find out the real truth behind my father's death after meeting Arianna. For a better precaution, I brought along a stun gun in my blazer pocket.

It only took a few minutes for me to arrive at the cafe she had mentioned. They were only a few people inside and I looked around to see which person I should meet. A distinguished-looking woman was seen sitting beside the cafe window and she was reading a book. She had a soft, platinum blonde hair that was tied up in a bun and her eyes were ice blue. She was so calm and showed no emotion. Her appearance looked like she was working as a private detective.

I felt a strangely familiar aura from that woman. She reminded me of someone but I could not figure out who it was. As I went near her table, she looked up and invited me to sit down before we shook our hands.

"Greetings. My name is Arianna," the woman introduced herself. "You must be Minoru Ayano, right? Or should I say, it's been long, [Full Name]?"

"W-what? How did you-?" I lowered my voice. "How did you know my real name??"

"You don't remember me? I went to your house to tell the news about your father's death."

"You're that woman who told my mother about my father??" I gasped with shock. "And how did you find me all the way here??"

"I remember how your face looked like. From when you're just a little girl until now, you still had that resemblance. Besides, I did hear that you are now in a relationship with Vongola Decimo," she crossed her arms over her chest. "It is about time for me to tell you what you should know."

"Is...is it about my father?"

Arianna nodded and at the same time, a waitress came over to serve some tea for both of us to drink. She just took a sip without any suspicion and I was reluctant to drink it.

"No worries. All the staff in this cafe are my subordinates. It is safe to drink."

"Your subordinates? Are you a mafia boss??"

"Close enough, but I'm not from the mafia," she placed the cup down. "I am the head of the secret intelligence agency."

"Secret intelligence agency? Is it like investigative work?" I asked curiously.

"Indeed, it is. Though its secret is much deeper than you thought. Your father happened to work for me and I had assigned him to investigate the illegal activities that had been circulating in the Russian region. His secret mission was to obtain information that could reveal the real culprit."

"Illegal activities in Russia? What kind of thing they were doing?"

"I believe that there is one organisation that has been planning to overthrow all of the most powerful mafia families. That way, they can use the mafia power to take control of the economy and politics of all the countries. You name it. They might try to destroy the Cavallone, Giglio Nero and even the Vongola."

I almost dropped the cup of tea as I felt horror-stricken. This was what Tsuna and others had been doing to stop that secret organisation from destroying the mafia families.

"T-then...did my father make it??"

"The last message I received from him was that he did retrieve the information and he hid it somewhere before he was shot to death. It was brutal when I've found his body. It seems that his killer was angered that they could not find what they wanted, so they threw all their frustration by stabbing and chopping your father's dead body repeatedly."

"...did my mother know...how my father died?"

"I only told her that he died in a tragic accident while working at my place. She did not know his spying job."

Arianna then placed her arms on the table and stared intently at me.

"Your father did hide that piece of information I want and for the sake of security, he had locked it with a secret code. None of us can break it...except for you."

"...why me? My father didn't even leave anything important for me or my mother after he died."

"Because you are his daughter. And you know him better than I do."

* * *

**_ Extra _ **

Gamma had just returned to the Giglio Nero's headquarters when he heard a sudden gunshot from Yuni's room. Without hesitation, he sped up and slammed the door open. His eyes widened with horror to see Byakuran holding a pistol and a dead person on the floor. The dead blue-haired girl was shot in her head and her blank eyes were wide. Nozaru, Tazaru and others came in and they were in shock as well to see the scene.

"You...you killed _principessa_??" asked Gamma with his shaky voice.

"Calm down, Gamma. That's not Yuni," answered Byakuran.

"That blue hair is damned obvious!! How could you do that when she had done a lot of good things for you?!" Gamma roared with anger and he was about to take his pistol to shoot Byakuran. Tazaru immediately stopped him from doing so while Nozaru knelt to check on the corpse.

"What the hell?! Someone else disguised as our boss!" Nozaru shrieked.

"H-how can you tell that's not her??" Gamma asked with his angry tone.

"Which is why I tell you to calm down," Byakuran replied and he took a blue wig from that dead person. "See, it's not Yuni."

"Then where is she??" the blond demanded. "How well you noticed that this person is disguising as her??"

"Easy enough. This dead girl is not a good actress. One slight talk and I know she's the spy."

"So, Vongola Decimo is right about the possible spy in our family," Tazaru growled. "How the hell she got kidnapped without any of us noticing?!"

"M-maybe this dead spy had a connection with anyone...or perhaps there's more among us!" Nozaru concluded.

Gamma released himself from Tazaru's grip and slammed his fist into the wall. He had enough losing Aria and he was not going to lose Yuni for the second time. He must find her as fast as possible. He was fearing for her safety.

"Byakuran, you will be the one to tell Vongola Decimo about the missing _principessa_. Tazaru and I will question each of the subordinates. They will pay for messing up with Giglio Nero Famiglia."

"I knew you would say that."


	25. Tension

I was lost in thoughts. I knew about my father's real job that led to his death. There was no way I would tell all these to my mother. My meeting with Arianna had to remain secret and that means I could not tell this to anyone, even to Tsuna. I was confused. How was I supposed to know how to crack the secret code to get that piece of information? Yes, I was my father's daughter, but I do not know anything at all. And the hell no I would leave Vongola just for that thing.

_Think about it, [Full name]. This information will determine the future of the world._

The words she told me gave me a tension feeling inside me. She seemed to pressure me to accept her mission and I declined, explaining that I could not do anything that led me to betray Tsuna and others. I made a word that I would not break the omerta after joining the Vongola.

I had never heard anything from Arianna after that secret meeting and things were getting busier lately.

* * *

I had been going around the whole city of Sicily just to deliver the documents to the allied mafia families and I was taking a lot of time to make a call to decline any small meetings from the minor families. Tsuna made me do it because he recently received alarming news from Byakuran. Yuni's sudden disappearance was a great shock to all of us and the one with the highest killer intent was Reborn.

The current condition was getting worse day by day.

After I was done declining all the meetings, I placed down the phone and I took some rest. I was sitting alone in the town's lake garden since I needed peace to finish all my work. The schedule was surprisingly almost empty and I need to fill in some with a few important meetings. Soon, I was looking at the e-mail I received from Arianna a week ago. I wonder what she would do next after I refused to accept her sudden mission. 

I slowly started to feel bad for not helping her.

"Hey, Ayano!"

I snapped and I looked up to see who was calling out for me. Don Cavallone was smiling brightly at me and I waved at him. He took a seat beside me and he was tired as well. It looked like he wanted to take a break as well.

"Are you done with your work like a boss?"

"Maybe I'm done but it'll come back again after this," Dino sighed. "It's getting even more complicated. First, Naito's loyal subordinate got hurt to protect him. Now, Yuni is missing. Reborn is pretty mad about it and I could not do anything to calm him down."

"Of course he's mad. Yuni had been like his daughter and her grandmother was his good friend," I smiled sadly. "Why would someone wanted to try to hurt her?"

"It's a dirty tactic for trying to bring down the mafia family that way. I really can't wait to find out who is that secret organisation's leader." 

"You are not the only one though. Tsuna had been working so hard to find Yuni and he was making sure that they will pay for it."

"That fiery little _fratello_ ," Dino commented. "I get that he's really busy, but shouldn't he at least pay some attention to you?"

"...why are you asking like that?"

"Why am I asking? You're his girlfriend, aren't you?"

I blushed in sudden and I turned away from him. "T-there's no way I wanted him to pay full attention to me when serious stuff is happening!"

"Well, sorry for asking, but...are you two really in a relationship?" Dino was eyeing at me.

"We are together now, I guess..." I sighed. "I admit that we wanted to spend some time together but I never expected this to happen. He started to get busier after the arson attack at Milan."

"...you're not telling me that you are giving up on Tsuna?"

"I'm not! I'm trying not to be selfish. Whenever he is stressed up, I would try to calm him down, the last thing I can do for him. You better not forget that I am still his secretary, so work is work and life is life."

"...I see." 

Dino seemed to look a little gloomier and this made me even more curious. I ended up thinking of a possibility due to his reaction.

"Dino, you're not telling me that...you have feelings for me?"

He looked at me and gave a warm smile. He held both of my hands and gently grasping it. His face was telling me that it was true and he was not being forceful.

"Ayano, it's true that I have feelings for you. If Tsuna really could make you smile happily, then I am willing to step out."

"What? N-now you only tell me?? Why didn't you say earlier??"

"Even if I tell, you will choose Tsuna. Because you only look at me as your good friend."

"Wouldn't that make you hurt even more to see me with Tsuna?" I asked with concern.

"I'm not hurt at all," he beamed. "I'm just happy that Tsuna finally found someone that he truly loves."

Whatever it was, Dino was a true gentleman. For the sake of his little brother despite not fully-blooded Italian, he was willing to sacrifice his feelings for me to see both of us happy together.

* * *

It was already late evening and I was on my way back to the headquarters. I was almost reaching the living hall when Chrome came to me with her terrified face. I felt something bad was going to happen.

"Chrome, what happened?" 

"Miss Ayano, did you...did you make Boss angry?"

"H-huh?? What do you mean by that??"

"He's getting pissed off and he demands to see you right now. I swear, I've never seen him so angry..." Chrome nervously answered.

"I...I don't get it. Why I would make him angry??"

She shook her head and she led me back to Tsuna's room. If Chrome could be that terrified, then I was getting scared as well. My hands were shivering as I opened the door. I could see the brunet sitting rather calmly while looking onto his desk. I looked at Chrome and I told her that I would be fine on my own before I closed the door. I slowly walked in trembling. Would he be angry at any moment when he saw me?

"Sit down, Ayano."

I listened and I took a seat in front of him. Silence surrounded the room and we did not talk for about two minutes. He did look angry despite hiding his rage behind his calm look. I wanted to know what did I do wrong to him.

"Where have you been?" he asked coldly.

"...I-I have been at the lake garden to do all the work as you requested," I answered nervously.

"Then, what did you do next?"

"I'm done with my work, so I just head back to the headquarters-"

"I'm asking you once again. What did you do next?" his tone was rather threatening.

"As I've said just now, I'm done with my work and I'm heading back-"

"Don't lie to me, Minoru Ayano," the brunet was glaring at me.

"...Fine. I was about to head back when Dino suddenly showed up. We only talked for a while until I decided to go back," I was getting even more frustrated.

"So, that's how it is," Tsuna leaned against the large chair he was sitting on. "It seems that you have a pleasant talk with him."

"Yes, I am talking to him, as a friend," I answered back. "Is that wrong to do so?"

"Would you say that again after seeing this picture?" he took out his phone and showed a picture of me talking with Don Cavallone.

To be exact, it was a picture where Dino was grasping both of my hands and was smiling warmly at me.

"T-Tsuna, it's not what you're thinking..." I stuttered.

"Not what I am thinking? I have been wondering that both of you had been close to each other without me noticing. I know, I was not at there with you in Naples and he was there too. Something reminds me. You've mentioned before that you wanted to deal with him alone because he did not trust you. Was it some kind of trick you are giving me?"

"I am dealing with him because I don't want you to go and kicking him around right after he tried to kill me!" I snapped with anger. "What do you expect me to do in Naples?? You weren't there because you had an urgent meeting! Of course, I ended up talking to Dino since he was there as well!"

"Oh, so you're blaming me for that?" he scoffed. "Did he say that he has feelings for you? It's obvious on his face."

"Well, he did! But I only treated him as my friend, that's all!"

"I don't favour someone who cheated on me. Now it's up to you. Either me or him, you better decide."

Before I could try to talk, he stood up and walked out from his room, slamming the door shut. I wanted to chase him back but my legs were too heavy to move. I felt so hurt that my knees gave away onto the floor. It was much worse than rejection.

Chrome came in and she quickly went to my side, hugging me tightly. All I did was just cry out loudly, and she had been trying to calm me down. I had never thought of why Tsuna acted much differently from before.

* * *

It was already five days and the tension between me and Tsuna grew higher. He was having Gokudera most of the time to assist him more than I was. He refused to see me at all. His guardians were not used to it but they did not say anything. 

I spent most of my time in my room, doing nothing. Just looking at the tablet and read the news update. I did not even need to arrange the schedule for Tsuna because he had his right-hand man to do it for him. He did not even need me and he was more on his work than me. I did not expect that much since Yuni was still missing and the other allied families were more aware of their security.

Bianchi and Fuuta had been the only ones who talked to me and I just casually talk to them. When they had to leave for their work, I was back on my own.

I should have resigned and fly back to Japan. Then, finding another job to cover my mother's medical bill as usual. I was slowly forgetting Tsuna in my life, pretending that I had never met him before. I was back as my own identity again.

I was planning to write a resignation letter but that would take time to do so. I went out of my room and I head straight to the kitchen. The lead servant was carrying a tray and when she saw me, her face turned completely white. She fell straight on the floor and was almost crying. I was getting even more confused with her reaction.

"I-I'm s-sorry...!" she pleaded.

"What the...why are you crying in sudden?" I asked and I held out my hand for her to stand up but she skidded backwards even more.

"Please! I don't mean to! I'm sorry!!" she cried even louder and apparently, her wail attracted someone else came in to see what happened. It was Hibari, much to my relief.

"What on earth is happening?" he asked with his irritated look.

"I...I don't know. She suddenly cried when I came in here," I replied. He did look back at the lead servant and then stared back at me.

"Did you do anything to make her cry?"

"What the actual f*ck?! Why is everyone blaming me for everything I never did?!" I yelled back at the skylark.

I was getting sick of being blamed for something that it was not my fault. Before Hibari could ever reply, the lead servant went on to grab my legs and she was still crying with despair. Her terrified look had given me the whole answer behind my sorrows.

"I...I am the one who sent that picture to Vongola Decimo...!!"


	26. Pain

"You...you are the one who sent that picture of me and Don Cavallone to Tsuna??"

"...y-yes...it's me...I'm the one who did it..."

"Strange, I thought we are no longer rivals and you approved our relationship. You still hated me because I'm working for Tsuna?"

"NO!! IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!!" the lead servant cried hysterically. "IF I DID NOT DO WHAT THEY SAY, MY FAMILY WILL BE SLAUGHTERED TO DEATH!!"

The lead servant sobbed so hard and I went speechless. I realised that the Vongola was falling into the enemy's trap and Cavallone would soon to join. The bear-like masked men, breaking my relationship with Tsuna and Dino would be dragged into an upcoming argument with the brunet. 

It was already happening.

"So you're the spy in this family?" Hibari took out his tonfa and glared at that lead servant. "Do you want me to break your bones first before you die?"

She shrieked with terror and I had to block him from attacking her.

"No, we need to talk about it. I want to know why she did this in the first place."

"She already confessed, what else you want to know from her?"

"Everything and I need to talk to you too, Hibari-san."

Overall, the three of us decided to talk in secret in his room. The lead servant was still crying and shivering while the skylark sat at one place and waited for me to talk to her. I gently patted her shoulders and I gave a small smile at her.

"Don't cry now. You can just tell me everything that makes you do this such thing."

"...aren't you mad at me...after I've ruined your relationship with Decimo??" she sobbed.

"Honestly, I am. But when you mentioned that your family will be killed if you don't do what they say, I daresay that you're a victim of this mess."

"I..." she wiped her wet, swollen eyes and cleared her painful throat. "Then can you tell me. Is it true that you and Don Cavallone are nothing but just...friends?"

"Yes, he is always my close friend. Tsuna should have known better when it comes to his older brother."

"I knew it. I knew that you won't betray Decimo. The moment I received this picture from an anonymous sender..."

"Anonymous sender? What else did you get from them?"

"I was about to reply to the message, telling them that I won't believe this such rubbish. Then they suddenly...sent another picture and it was my family. I froze with fear and they tell me that they are having them as their hostage. Whether they are dead or alive...it's up to me..." the lead servant covered her face and she cried again. "I'm glad that you're not angry at me, but...what about Decimo? He's not going to forgive me..."

"Anna, can you give me your phone? I want to see that sender's number."

She took out her phone and passed it to me. I opened her inbox message and there, I saw a private number with some attachments. Those pictures she had mentioned were there. I took some screenshots of the anonymous's messages and sharing it inside my phone before I return to Anna.

"If this is what they want, then I'll play along," I spoke up.

"W-what?? You'll play along??" Anna asked with shock.

"Yes, I'll join their sickening game. I'm making sure that they will pay for hurting Pantera, kidnapping Yuni and breaking me and Tsuna apart," I stared back at her. "You just need to keep on pretending nothing has happened and when the right time comes, you can confess your wrongdoings to Tsuna and everyone."

"H-he's going to kill me!" she screeched. "Have you not seen how angry he was?!"

"Which is why I need Hibari-san to protect you. He can be the witness since he's here with us. We'll keep on pretending so that your family will stay safe."

"You...you are not telling me that you're sacrificing yourself...just for me?"

"Why not?" I smiled sadly. "I don't want your family got killed because of me."

Anna was confused for a moment and I told her to leave and resumed with her work. She tried her hardest to tag along before leaving me and Hibari alone so that I could talk to him. Away from the knowledge of the other guardians.

I started by telling the skylark about my secret meeting with a woman named Arianna, who turned out to be the head of a secret intelligence agency. Then about my deceased father who hid the most important information somewhere at a country where he was found dead. I decided to travel to that country to find that stuff and gave it to Arianna.

After that, I might leave Italy for good and return to Japan-

"You sure you want to do this?" Hibari asked.

"I just want to finish up what my father had left," I answered.

"And you want to leave the Vongola? Do you know that you will be killed for knowing too many secrets?"

"I'm aware of that. Once I'm done, I'll settle up my problems later on. All I want you to do is to keep an eye on Anna and don't let either Gokudera or Tsuna kill her off. You are free to tell them about her condition and my current whereabouts."

"You are running away from your problem, [Full name]," the skylark added. "That is why you wanted to risk your own life just to finish off your deceased father's job."

I gripped both of my hands and he was half-right about it. I could not forget how Tsuna treated me coldly. 

"Maybe you're right...but I'm not running away from my problem," I stared back at Hibari and I smiled sadly. "The pressure was too high for Tsuna to handle, so he probably burst out his frustrations at me. Like I've said to Anna, he should know Dino better than anyone else. So, I'm leaving him alone until he gets back to his consciousness. When everything is over, I'll see what I can do about it."

"...Do you still love Sawada Tsunayoshi despite his cold attitude towards you?"

"...yes, until now."

I turned to leave his room to get myself prepared. At least I stopped for a while when Hibari gave his last words to me.

"Be careful, and stay alive."

* * *

With Anna's help, I managed to leave the headquarters without anyone stopping me. I had to run as fast as I can so that none of the guardians or Tsuna caught me back to that place. I covered my whole head with my jacket hood. I only bring something important to me. My phone, my identity card, some cash and my passport. I kept on walking and avoiding anyone I knew until I reached the saloon. I had one of the hairdressers available to cut my whole hair and they were quite surprised by my request. 

In the end, I got back my short, boyish hair again. It was much shorter than the last time I used to have. 

I went straight to the Mediterranean Cafe and there was only one customer inside. It was none other than Arianna, who seemed to be busy signing off some documents. She knew it was me coming to her place although she was not looking up.

"You made up your mind, [Full Name]?"

"Yes," I answered as I sat in front of her. "I accept your mission, to find back the secret information that my father had left hidden."

"What about the Vongola Famiglia? Are you sure about leaving that family without knowing the real consequences?"

"What do you mean?"

"Once you join the mafia group, there is no way back. You should know that."

I stared back at her curiously when a cup of warm tea served in front of me. 

"You are completely out from the mafia world and yet, you know the mafia laws better than anyone else," I explained.

"I just happen to know, that's all," Arianna replied shortly and stacked up against her documents inside her clutch bag. "Looks like the secret organisation had found their perfect target to try weakening the Vongola Famiglia and Cavallone Famiglia."

"You are right. They are targeting me from the beginning," I answered. "Maybe they were the ones who sent those masked men to kill me off, and when they failed, they blackmailed Anna to have Tsuna...break up with me. At the same time, framing Dino as well."

Arianna remained silent as she sipped a cup of coffee. 

"Nice try, but that such tactic is not going to work on both of them."

"H-how can you be sure about it? Tsuna was completely mad at me when he suspecting me that I was cheating on him."

"Don Vongola is not an idiot to trust this such rubbish, and so do Don Cavallone. If they fell for this such defamation, Reborn would have just murdered his useless students for good."

I could not believe what I heard. Her words were icy and that matched her cold personality.

"I bet that his work had been pressuring him to the next level. So, I decided to leave him alone until he is completely calm."

"And once you're done with my mission, you must settle things up with him."

I nodded and she later started to explain the whole scenario of my father's investigation. It started with the murder of some influential politicians from some countries and they died due to biological weapon produced by that secret organisation. Soon after, more of the mafia families died in the same way and by the same culprit. My father was being sent off to some places in Belarus and Russia because Arianna suspected that the secret organisation could be any of the mafia groups from that region. It took him half a year to finally gathering every single piece of evidence and was about to return when he was found dead in a brutal way.

Drug and human trafficking from the Eurasia region were quite high and it was possibly linked to what the secret organisation had been doing for many years. Arianna later passed some important stuff to me and I saw an envelope with some allowances, a flight boarding pass, along with one-way train ticket back to Italy.

"This flight boarding pass will send you straight to Russia, the only place where your father hid that evidence at there. Once you've found it, return to Italy immediately."

* * *

Arianna's subordinates were bringing me straight to the airport in Rome and they helped me with the flight booking process. I was completely all on my own in the airport terminal, waiting to get on the aeroplane. The terminal surroundings were so cold that I had to wrap myself tightly with a thick hooded jacket. 

I suddenly remembered how Tsuna tried to keep me warm by covering me with his black suit, the day we confronted Pietro Inverno, the Snow Arcobaleno. Those kind words he said to me and the way he smiled at me made my day.

I missed him but I could not return to him. Not when he was still pressuring himself to find a better solution to bring down that secret organisation and save Yuni. Cold tears came out from my eyes and I wiped it off with my cold hands.

"Ah, Sawada-dono! Did you just call me?"

I froze as soon I heard Tsuna's name being mentioned by someone. I tilted my head another side and I saw a man about the brunet's age. He had just returned from his flight and was walking while talking on the phone. He had just mentioned the name Sawada, was he an ally to Tsuna?

I covered my head much closer with my hood and my heart was beating fast with horror when that man suddenly stopped walking and standing in front of me. I had never seen him before, so I do not think that he knew who I was.

"So, that's what happened," the man spoke further. "Huh? Your secretary is found missing?"

Missing? That brunet had just realised my absence after ignoring me for many days?

"Okay, I get it. Just send me a picture of her and I'll inform you if I see her around."

He ended his call and he was checking on his phone when he accidentally dropped it at my shoes. Without thinking, I picked it up for him and I saw a picture of me, sitting beside Tsuna. We were smiling brightly and it hurt my heart so much by looking at it.

"Sorry for disturbing you, may I have my phone back?" the man asked politely and he held out his hand.

I did not say anything as I gave it back to him and I stood up, running inside the plane after hearing the announcement of the plane departure to Russia. He was tried to chase me from behind to say something to me but I ignored him.

My only focus was to get back something important to Arianna. I do not want to think of anything else.

I wanted to be alone for a while.


	27. Mission

Three hours flight from Rome to Moscow. It was much shorter compared from Italy to Japan. I spent most of my time studying some basic Russian language and then took a short nap before arriving in Moscow. I was scared when I realised that I was all on my own. 

This time around, I had no friends or anyone I knew to talk or depend with. 

I arrived at the airport in Moscow and the sky outside was still as dark as night time. I covered my head again with my thick jacket hood and I walked out to call a taxi. I did not see which one was supposed to be a taxi when I saw a group of men talking to each other. I slowly approached them and asked if any of them knew how to call for a taxi. They said that there were the taxi drivers and what irked me the most that they kept on charging me for a high price for one ride. They also took advantage of a foreigner like me.

A Russian man in his fifties came towards us and was asking what was happening. He looked kinder than these men and when he saw me, he gestured me to follow him and I did what he said. I ended up sitting in his car and when he was about to drive, I quickly asked him something. 

"Are you a taxi driver?"

"I am," he answered back with his thick Russian accent. "Do you have any place to stay?"

"No, I'm thinking to stay at the motel."

"Forget the motel. I'll let you stay at my house instead."

"Huh?" I blinked with surprise. "Why would you bringing a stranger back to your house?"

"Is your father named [Father's full name]?" the man asked.

"H-How did you know my father's name?"

"Thought so," he started up his car engine and drove away from the airport. "Seventeen years ago, a man was struggling to look for a taxi. He could not speak Russian, so he had the difficulty to talk with any of us. He was so troubled that I decided to help him out. He said that he was sent to Russia by his company for business work. We casually talked and he loved to talk about his family, especially his brave little daughter. He was guilty of not being able to spend some time with them and was worried that his daughter might hate him for leaving too long. I said to him that one day, his daughter will truly understand what a father will do for them. Since I have a family."

I gaped while listening to his story. Was he talking about my father who also facing the same problem as I was?

"Though I knew that he would be doing something reckless, I could never stop him. He thanked me for our help and that was the last time I would ever meet him," the man was still driving as he turned to another junction. "It feels like I am experiencing a deja vu when I see you have trouble with those taxi drivers. You have the exact look from that man I've helped years ago."

I was imagining it the scene between my father and this Russian man. Would he know what I was going to do after staying over at his house later on?

We arrived at his supposed house and his plump wife came to fetch her husband. She greeted me with her warm smile and I was treated like a part of their family. She even remembered my father who once stayed with them. Mr Golovanov had his daughter to let me sleep in her room and she quickly agreed. She was so welcoming that she wanted to talk to me a lot of things.

She was in her early thirties and was still single. She was working as a school teacher and had mentioned that she did meet my father, describing him as a hilarious person.

"I was this little when your father came here as our visitor," Anya explained as she grinned. "He was so nice that he taught me how to talk in Japanese. Oh, I did wish that I want to meet his daughter one day and I can't believe that it has been granted."

"I see," I gave a small smile at Anya.

"You're travelling alone here in Russia? It is such a brave move you've made. Most of the tourists here had to adapt well first when they came here."

"Sort of. I'm here for business work."

"Ah, like father, like daughter," she then passed a thick blanket to me and I took it. 

I noticed a family photo of Golovanov family and I saw a teenage Russian boy standing beside Anya with her graduation uniform from her university she was studying.

"Anya, is that your brother?"

"Oh, yes. That's my little brother," she answered and there was a sad tone in her voice. "He is no longer with us."

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to ask-"

"Ah, no, it's not like that," Anya laughed a little. "He's not dead yet. It's just that...he cut off his ties with us to join the Russian mafia family."

"W-what?" my eyes widened. "How could he do that to you and your parents?"

"Who knows? It's hard to understand teenager's feelings nowadays," she sat on her bed, looking back at me. "The Russian mafia members follow the Thieves Code, or _Zory v Zakone,_ where the members must cut off all ties with their family to show true loyalty to the organisation. It is a little similar to how Italian mafia members are bound by their code of silence called Omerta."

"Does everyone know anything about the Russian mafia family your brother is joining?" I asked.

"There are many of them, but the most feared one is from the Morozov Family. I said feared because they are one with the ruthless violence they could do to those who tried to oppose them. Despite that, they did a lot of charity work. They even opened an orphanage for poor children and their good deeds earned this family honour from our politicians here."

The Morozov Family was the most feared Russian mafia, and yet they did charity work. Were they just a little alike with the Vongola Famiglia? Solving things with violence while retaining the main objective of the family's existence?

I pretended that I was just curious about this topic and I never slip out anything about Vongola and my secret mission. I spent two days staying at Golovanov's house and I was prepared to do my mission. As I was leaving, they gave some advice for us until Anya wanted to say some last words for me.

"Promise me that you will stay safe, Ayano. I want to see you again in the future. Please don't end up in a tragedy like what happened to your father."

"I...I can't promise that," I grasped her warm hands. "But I will try my best to survive. Since the skylark had told me the same thing as you are."

"Will there be anyone to worry about your current whereabouts?"

The only person that came to my mind was Tsuna. I sighed and turned away from Anya.

"Maybe not anymore."

* * *

_The dangerous place is always the safest place to hide._

That was the only clue Arianna gave it to me before I went to Russia. It should be the only place I should go to retrieve back the secret evidence. I checked back the map and I was groaning with annoyance like a lost tourist trapped in the cold weather. Snow in Russia was colder than in Japan and North Italy. My thick jacket could at least gave me some warmth for a while. 

I kept on suspecting that the Morozov Family could be that secret organisation who planned to overthrow all the mafia families but I had no proof. They were hellishly scary but they did good things to society. Perhaps I should check on the orphanage they built for the poor children? How I was supposed to do that?

"Owww...!!"

An elderly man screamed with pain as I saw him gripping his ankle tightly. He fell from his scooter and he was delivering some dairy products to someone else. I quickly went to him and I checked his ankle.

"Are you alright, mister?"

"My...my sprained ankle..." he muttered. "My wife had been nagging me not to work with my sprained ankle but I insist. I still have to deliver this to the orphanage..."

"Why not ask someone else to deliver instead?"

"My grandchildren are not helping, who else can do for me...?"

"Mister, did you say you'll be delivering these things to the orphanage?"

"Yes, of course...! The children love our homemade dairy products!" the elderly man beamed. "My wife and I never fail to make them happy with our food."

"Well, how about this? I'll bring you back to your house and I'll help you to deliver it instead. Rest well for today until you're able to walk again."

"I...I do not wish to trouble you, young man..."

"No, I'll help."

In the end, I brought all the dairy products after sending that elderly man home and I was suddenly greeted by the noisy and happy children at that orphanage. I smiled back to them and I gave away the things they wanted. Some were wondering what happened to the elderly man and I told them that he was ill and I took over his place for today. It was strange that the children were approaching to me without any suspicion. 

"Hey! What are you doing there?!"

I flinched at that sudden shout and I looked up to see a guy about my age. He had short black hair and a cross look on his face like a rebel. Some of the children came to him and they were smiling brightly at him.

"Sevastyan! It's okay! She is helping that uncle milkman to deliver things for all of us!"

"Is...is that so?" the guy named Sevastyan stared back at the children and it was like an awkward moment for him. "Sorry, I didn't know. I'm just afraid that she might kidnap all of you."

"What the hell?!" I snapped back at him. "Do I look like I'm going to take all of them??"

"I'm just making sure that they are safe, okay!" he yelled back. "Now if you're done, you may just leave right now!"

"Excuse me?? I'm not done yet!"

"What's happening here, Sevastyan?"

Both of us turned to look at the owner of a voice and it felt like the earth had stopped spinning. My eyes went wide, staring back at the blue-haired girl with an orange emblem under her eye. The other was staring back at me with shock and this probably confusing Sevastyan.

"Y-Yuni...is that you??"

"S- Ayano-san!" Yuni smiled warmly at me. "It's been long, right?"

"Huh? What do you mean by-"

"You two know each other?" Sevastyan asked curiously.

"Of course, she's my uncle's student," Yuni answered brightly. "Didn't I tell you that my uncle is an expert on martial arts? Ayano-san is his top student."

"Wow, I never knew that," he replied. "Then, you may bring her in if you want to talk to her."

Yuni nodded and she went on to grab my hands, leading me inside the orphanage. We did not say anything until we went inside her supposed room and she locked it behind her. I was going to ask when she hugged me tightly, crying silently at my chest. Her hands and her whole body were shaking with fear. I hugged her back and I gently stroke her blue hair to calm her down. 

"S-Segretario Minoru. I-I'm glad you're here..."

"Same to me, Yuni. I'm glad to see you safe."  
  


* * *

_**Extra** _

Hibari Kyoya was seen sitting alone in his room and his cup of green tea remained untouched for hours. So far, no one was suspecting how quiet he had been whenever there was a meeting. As far he knew, none of the guardians and Tsuna himself noticed that Minoru Ayano had left the headquarters without their knowledge. He had been making sure that Anna would not tell anything until she had to break out everything.

Speak of the devil, Anna barged into his room with her pale face. She was shivering with fear as she looked up at the skylark.

"Let me guess. You've spill out everything to them?"

She nodded repeatedly and before she could explain, Tsuna was already behind her and he was in a foul mood. His golden-like eyes could tell how angry he was and Gokudera could not do anything to calm his boss down.

"You can't kill her. She's also the victim of this game," Hibari spoke up.

"Victim? You call that a victim after she nearly made me argue with Dino?" Tsuna glared back at his Cloud Guardian. "Would you still call her a victim after Ayano's disappearance??"

"How pitiful," the skylark commented. "I wonder what happened to that wise, soft-hearted Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"This is NOT funny, Kyoya," Tsuna growled. "Why are you protecting this traitor instead of killing her off??"

"I could have done that in the first place but your secretary would not let me do so."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Minoru Ayano did not disappear or being kidnapped. She left the Vongola with her own accord."

"A-Ayano left...the headquarters?" Tsuna's golden-like eyes slowly turned back to his usual brown eyes and were horror-stricken with the statement. "So...what Anna told me about, playing along with the enemy..."

"Oi, Hibari!" Gokudera asked with his sharp tone. "Where is that woman right now?? Did she ever think of the real consequences of leaving the Vongola??"

"By this time you're asking, it's already too late," Hibari glared back at the silver-haired.

"Please, Kyoya! Just tell us where is she!" Tsuna pleaded.

"I don't know her current whereabouts," the skylark answered as he passed a piece of paper to Tsuna with a contact number on it. "This person knows where is she."

"Who's this person?"

"Alaude's only living descendant, Arianna."


	28. Information

"I'm so glad to see you safe, Yuni. Everyone in your family was worried about your disappearance. Reborn was the one almost went berserk when he knew about it."

"I see," Yuni smiled sadly. "Uncle Reborn still never change. I guess Gamma and Byakuran reacted the same way too."

"How did you end up here? Do you know who was the one kidnapped you?"

"I...I was actually in the kitchen to find something to drink," Yuni tried to recall her memory. "I did hear a sound of footsteps behind me but I was already knocked down before I could see who it was. Maybe it was the spy Sawada had warned us about. When I woke up, I was already on a plane accompanied by some unknown Russian men."

"I bet that must be the secret organization's subordinates," I commented. "Then, what happened?"

"I was later being taken to the pub and I saw a woman. She had been waiting for me to arrive and later claimed that she is the wife of that leader's organisation. You knew Clelia Federigo, right?"

"Yeah, I know-" I stopped and I stared back at her. "Clelia Federigo is that leader's wife??"

"I'm afraid yes," Yuni replied. "I was in shock too when I learnt that she was married to a Russian leader after being kicked out from Italy for breaking the Vongola's omerta."

"Damn it," I growled. "So that's the reason why she can return to Italy. Everyone was so focused on her whereabouts due to her crime without realising that she had ordered some of her subordinates to become the spies of the mafia families."

"I can never get to see her husband's face and was being imprisoned in this orphanage. Sevastyan was assigned to watch over me but he's different from them. He's been kind to me all the time I stay here."

"He strongly reminded me of Gokudera. The children adored him like their older brother."

"He may be short-tempered but he's a good person. Though I'm wondering why he would join the Russian mafia," Yuni then turned to look at me. "By the way, why are you here in Russia?"

After making sure that no one would eavesdrop, I told everything to Yuni. My father's mission and my argument with Tsuna. Her face held with worry when she listened to my story.

"You can't conclude that he hates you. It was normal for him to get pressured with this situation but I think that he didn't mean to be angry at you."

"Everyone says so, but...I was afraid to return to his side."

"Segretario Minoru, do you have a phone with you?"

"I did have it with me."

"Check your phone."

I took out my phone and I was bewildered to see lots of missed calls and unread messages from Tsuna. I failed to see these notifications after turning my phone into silent mode. I only opened one of his latest messages and I read it.

_[Text]: Ayano. I know you are angry at me for accusing you and ignoring you for many days. I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry. If you could return to Italy, I am willing to let you shout at me, punch me, or even slap me. I deserve all this for hurting your feelings. So please, come back home._

I nearly cried when he finally talked to me. I could return home if I wanted to, but I have something to do and I need to get it done.

"You are not returning?"

"No, not yet," I placed my phone inside my pocket. "I need to find that evidence, then I'll bring you out from here."

"B-but you can't do that..." said Yuni. "You can't go and mess up with the Russian mafioso. They are even worse than the Italian mafioso."

"Once I accept the role as Don Vongola's secretary, it means that I am well prepared to survive in the mafia world," I stated firmly. "I can't stay away from my fate."

My eyes scanned around the room and I soon thought of something. Yuni was being imprisoned in this orphanage built by the Morozov Family. There was no way a secret organisation would use the orphanage as their place to gather around. Not when the innocent children were here. 

Maybe both of them were allied groups, so the Morozov was willing to let them use whatever they wanted?

"Yuni, have you heard of the Morozov family?"

"Morozov family? Oh, that Russian mafia family is famous for their benevolence, especially towards the poor and disabled children. They are planning to build more orphanages around the world and they had been meeting many of the mafia families to make a deal with them."

"That's strange. If they are famous, how come I've never heard of them?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Because you weren't there when they came to Italy to sign an agreement with us," Yuni explained. "Clelia Federigo was once Sawada's secretary before you." 

"Ooookay..." I muttered, feeling more irritated upon hearing that name. 

"Why are you asking about the Morozov family?"

"This orphanage was established by that family, so I am wondering if the secret organisation and this family are allies. If they are not, why would your kidnappers wanted to imprison you in this such place?"

"You got the point. I've never thought about it."

"In that case, I'm going to look around this orphanage."

"W-wait! Segretario Minoru, don't act recklessly!" Yuni whispered quickly. 

"The faster, the better. I need to finish it up and bring you home as fast as I could," I replied. "I don't see anyone around except for that guy and the children, so I could use this chance to do some checking."

The former Sky Arcobaleno sighed heavily before she spoke to me.

"Fine. I'll try to distract Sevastyan if he's nearby your spot."

I gave an apologetic smile at her and I quietly leave her room. I peeked at the window and Sevastyan was still busy handling with all the orphans. I went almost every room in the orphanage (kitchen, dining hall, bathrooms, nurseries and even the living hall) and none of them appeared to be suspicious. 

That was when I reached the director's room. There was signage with the name 'Pyotr Morozov' on it. Could it be the director's name himself?

The door was locked and I took out a plastic card to try unlocking the door. It was a success and I went in before locking the door behind me. It was quite a large study room with bookshelves filled with thick old books, steel drawers, leather couches, a large desk and a computer. There was a folder on the desk and it was written as 'Staff's names'. 

I opened the folder and flipped some papers inside where most of it was the profile of the people who worked in this orphanage. I kept on flipping until I stopped at one page with a large red word 'ANNIHILATED' stamped on it. 

I gasped at the sight of a photo of a Japanese man and it was none other than my deceased father. I read his profile closely and it was written that he was working as a janitor in this orphanage with his alias name Umanosuke Shinya. Arianna once told me that it was my father's alias name during his work as a spy. There was a scribbled note at the end of the page and I read it out.

_Find that 'key', no matter what happens. Kill anyone who tries to expose the secret. Sign by; Pyotr Morozov._

The horror feeling engulfed inside my heart. The head of the Morozov Family had killed my father for trying to expose the dark secrets. What kind of secrets my father was trying to tell? 

The most dangerous place is the safest place to hide. The hell, maybe this place could be the one my father had hid it, but where? I looked back at my father's profile and that was when I realise something that came out as a clue.

My father was working as a janitor in this orphanage. Does that mean I should try finding it in the janitor's room? No, hiding that evidence in the janitor's room was too risky, but since he did the cleaning he must have been hiding it in the director's room.

As a janitor, their job was to keep the room or building clean. I took almost an hour to search for the whole room and there, I finally found a flash drive in the large flower pot.

It was sealed with a plastic bag to avoid damaging the flash drive. I almost overjoyed when I thought of checking its contents to see if it was the evidence that Arianna wanted. I switched on the computer and I inserted the flash drive. 

I could not believe what I had seen.

_The Morozov Family is the strongest Russian mafia group and has gained respect from many famous people and politicians due to their benevolence. Most of the children with no parents and disabled individuals are given a shelter thanks to this family. However, there lies a dark secret within the Morozov Family._

_This family has been conducting some illegal experiments and they are producing lots of biological weapons that effectively kills many people compared to nuclear bombs. This family are responsible for the recent murder of several politicians from other countries. Children and disabled individuals are used as test subjects to test the effectiveness of their biological weapons._

_To broaden the production of the biological weapons, the orphanages around the countries are installed and when the perfect time comes, all the mafia families will be annihilated within just a few seconds. With only one mafia group standing, they will rule the whole world._

_The main targets:_ **_Vongola Famiglia, Cavallone Famiglia, Tomaso Famiglia, Giglio Nero Famiglia, Shimon Famiglia, Lingotto Famiglia and Inverno Famiglia._ **

_Launching of the biological weapon attack :_ **_[date and time]_ **

The day of launching was two days by now. No wonder there was an arson attack and possible spies in the family to weaken them before being killed with the upcoming biological weapon. The Morozov family was behind all this incident.

I need to return to Italy and tell this to Arianna, then to Tsuna and others. There was no much time left.

I took out the flash drive and I quickly switch off the computer. I was confused and I was in a rush that I swung the door open only to see someone standing in front of me. Clelia Federigo was giving me an evil smile while pointing a pistol at me. I was shaking and backing a few steps away from her until I stopped by at the desk.

"Hello, little b*tch," she sneered. "You should have just called me if you want to come here for a visit."

"Why...why do you have to do this?" I snarled and glaring at her. "Why did you do have to join another family who is about to kill lots of people?"

"Revenge, of course," Clelia laughed dryly. "I cannot stand all the humiliation given to me just because I've broken the Vongola's omerta. Everyone laughs at me and they call me a criminal, even you. But my husband is different from others. He is so kind and he saved my life. I admire his ambitious piece of work that I wanted to see how people will die in our hands."

"You f*cking a**hole!!" I shouted back at her. "How could you do that to Tsuna?! He's kind to kick you out from Italy rather than to have to kill you off!!"

"Oh, look who's talking," the woman scoffed. "Weren't you so angry at him for accusing you to cheat on him? I love that smile you give to Don Cavallone. You should have been with him instead of Don Vongola."

"Wait a minute. You took that picture and later blackmailed Anna if she didn't do what you say??"

"Wow, you're so smart to figure these things out."

I was way too angry that I wanted to kill her so much. That ungrateful woman, I will never forgive her.

"You'll get my condolences after I kill you here. You've known too much and I cannot let you escape with that evidence you have."

I heard the clicking sound of the loaded pistol. Her finger was about to pull the trigger, aiming straight to my heart. I wanted to stop her from shooting me but I would be dead before I could do so.

_"Be careful, and stay alive."_

_"Promise me that you will stay safe."_

_"Please, come back home."_

Those phrases came into my mind. Hibari, Anya and Tsuna were hoping me to come back alive. What other choices I could pick?


	29. Escape

I was standing on a road with two separate ways; dead and alive. One choice of mine will determine my future. Clelia Federigo was now standing in front of me with her loaded pistol aiming straight to my heart. Once I move, I will be dead but if I did not move, I would be dead too.

I might be able to dodge the bullet but I do not have a powerful intuition as Tsuna had.

_"Easy. Once you sense it, just deflect them like you're hitting the baseball."_

I felt like Yamamoto was the only one who gave the solution with his unique explanation. That was expected from a natural-born hitman. Coincidentally, there was a metal baseball bat near the desk where I was standing. Clelia was confident that she would shoot me to death but her hands were shaking as if she was learning how to use the pistol. As I tried to keep myself calm, this was my perfect chance.

"If you don't mind me asking, is this your first time using a pistol?" I asked.

"Y-yeah, so what?" Clelia smirked. "Perhaps you wish to recite your last words before I kill you off?"

"I'm just giving you some advice," I smiled casually at her. "You should have checked the pistol's condition before you use it. If something is wrong, it will backfire, and you'll tend to lose your fingers or your precious hands."

"A-are you trying to scare me??" she snarled. "D-don't you think that I'll not be able to shoot you!"

"Well, go ahead and prove to me that you're not a coward."

"I'm not a coward! Since you asked for it, then die!!" she screamed with fury and she pulled the trigger, releasing her first shot.

At the same time, I was grabbing the metal baseball bat and when the bullet hit straight to it, I deflected the bullet to another direction.

Clelia cursed and she was trying to shoot for another time. I was quicker than her as I ran towards her and punched her face harshly. She immediately passed out and her pistol dropped, hitting against the steel drawer. I gave a deep sigh of relief and I realised that I exposed myself to danger. Clelia was working for the Morozov Family and so do Sevastyan. He was not going to let me off easily.

Sevastyan came over and he was in shock to see the unconscious Clelia and me in the director's room. Yuni was behind him and her face held with a worried look.

I did not know what to do next. Was he going to report it to his boss?

"Is she...unconscious?" Sevastyan asked curiously.

"Yeah, what are you going to do now?" I replied curtly.

"Good, that makes my job slightly easier," he said.

"What the-?"

"He knows about us," Yuni added. "He's on our side."

I grew more confused when he suggested that we should gather ourselves in Yuni's room. Sevastyan had made sure that the children were sleeping in their nursery rooms and he locked their rooms for their temporary safety. 

"I don't get it. You're assigned to look over Yuni during her imprisonment. Aren't you supposed to work for the Morozov Family?" I asked impatiently.

"Yes, I am working for the Morozov Family. Under the CEDEF orders," Sevastyan answered.

"CEDEF?" Yuni gasped with surprise. "Isn't that the External Advisors of the Vongola Family?"

"How come you are working for both parties at the same time?" I asked again.

"My senior happened to receive a strange case of the sudden disappearance of the children from the Vongola's allied families," the Russian guy explained. "Some people think that it is only a missing children case but to us, it is a serious matter. Don Lingotto's little grandchildren were found missing at the same time and we suspected that these kidnapped children will be sent to Russia for illegal human trafficking."

"D-Don Lingotto's grandchildren were missing? He didn't mention that when Tsuna and I went there visiting him."

"He doesn't want to make things worse, that's why he did not talk about it," Yuni commented.

"So my senior assigned me to investigate this case and I managed to join the Morozov Family. I had to take some time to get used with their mafia life as it was much different from the Italian mafia life. Pyotr Morozov trusted me so much that he assigned me to take care of these children in his orphanage's main branch. I found out that these children were the missing children of the Vongola's allied families. Until now, I don't know why he wanted these children in the first place. He did not always come here to check on them. Clelia Federigo was the one often came here and the children were afraid of her as if she was their cruel stepmother."

"From what I've heard, she's married to this Pyotr Morozov. Can you describe to me about this Morozov leader? And why they ended up getting married?" I asked further.

"I've secretly joined this family year before she got married to Pyotr. Most of the members knew him as a ruthless mafia boss and he's a womanizer. Until one day, he came back and announced that he will marry a woman that he loved and I found out that it was Don Vongola's former secretary. He wanted to know more of the Vongola's secrets and he promised that he would protect her if any of the mafia members would hunt her down for breaking the omerta."

"I see. I think I know why he wanted those children," I replied.

"What are you trying to say, Segretario Minoru?" Yuni asked.

"The Morozov Family had been using the orphaned children and disabled individuals as their test subject. Using them to test the effectiveness of their biological weapons."

"Biological weapons??" Sevastyan flinched with shock. "The Morozov Family had been producing those things??"

"Yes, it can be anything. Spreading a dangerous virus and pathogen to kill humans and it was faster than using nuclear bombs. They are responsible for the deaths of several politicians from other countries. They are planning to annihilate the whole mafia families by launching the biological weapon attack, two days by now."

Sevastyan and Yuni were horrified and I know what they feel. I had to do it fast before it was too late.

"We need to leave this country and tell the authorities about this issue," I suggested.

"But what about the children?" Yuni asked as she was about to cry. "We can't leave them here with that madman."

"I know, but we can't bring all of them at the same time. People would ask and this might attract Pyotr's attention," I gripped my fists. "There are many people to save and yet, I could not find a better way to keep them unharmed."

"I'll bring them to a safer place," Sevastyan suggested. "A place where Pyotr Morozov won't be able to find them."

"Where are you taking them to?" I asked curiously.

"To my grandfather's house," he answered. "He had a hidden basement where he built to hide from the Russian mafia members during the mafia fight years ago."

"Wouldn't that be dangerous?" said Yuni.

"It was abandoned for a long time. No one would ever want to step into that area," he replied. "I should have done that when I have the chance but I can't do it alone. The Morozov Family will suspect me, especially that Clelia Federigo. Both of you should return to Italy fast."

"You sure about it?" I asked again. "What if you got caught?"

"I can't let Master Sawada's teachings go to waste. I know what to do next."

We were reluctant but we could not afford to waste more time. Sevastyan took his time to relocate the children to his grandfather's house. Once they were gone, Yuni and I left the orphanage building as fast as we could.

The cold weather was threatening but we could not stop and we kept on running to the nearest train station. I never knew that this situation would be scary and she was not supposed to go through this ordeal. I could imagine her family's relieved look when she returned home.

With all our running efforts, we finally arrived at the train station and only five minutes left for the current train to depart. We were glad to be able to escape but it was only for a while. I heard Clelia Federigo's scream and she was already at the train station with Pyotr's subordinates. She must have been searching for us after regaining her consciousness. Both of us wanted to hop on the train when the train conductor insisted to check our tickets. I did have one but Yuni did not have any tickets. We would get caught if we went back to buy some tickets.

As much I wanted to return to meet Tsuna, I had to save Yuni as well.

"Yuni, you can have my ticket," I passed my train ticket and the flash drive at her hands. "Return home to Italy safely and give this flash drive to Hibari-san."

"Wh-what? What about you??" the former Sky Arcobaleno looked horrified. "We should leave together!"

"We can't, only one of us should go," I smiled sadly. "You're Vongola's top priority and you should head back to prove that you're safe."

"I can't accept this!" Yuni cried and tried to pull me inside the train. "I don't want to see you left behind and get caught by the enemies! Sawada will be extremely worried if you don't come back with me!!"

"I'm fine. I will be fine..." my voice started to crack. "Just please, return to Italy...tell everyone about it and give this flash drive to Hibari-san. He knows what to do with it."

"Se...Segretario...Minoru..."

I heard that woman's scream again. If she came here, she would catch Yuni again. Giving my last smile, I pushed Yuni inside the train and shut the door tightly. She fell and when the train started to take off, Yuni stood up again and kept on banging the door to open. I watched the train leave the station and more tears coming out of my eyes.

"I'm sorry...Yuni."

I wiped my tears off and I immediately ran away from the train station. I was leaving the terminal when Clelia suddenly appeared and she pushed me onto the ground. I stumbled and she harshly pinned me onto the ground while taking out the pick ice from her pocket.

"I'm...I'm getting sick of you right now..." she growled with anger and she was pointing that pick ice at my right eye. "I'm f*cking going to kill you off for destroying my life."

"D-destroy your life??" I struggled to free myself. "You're the one who started it, Clelia Federigo! If it wasn't because of your sickening attitude, you won't get kicked out of Italy! And you won't marry a madman who is about to kill everyone in this world!"

"Nobody can say bad things about my husband! NOBODY!!"

Clelia plunged the pick ice directly to my right eye. I had to avoid it and I harshly pushed her away from me. 

The sharp tip of the pick ice had slashed my left eye.

She fell straight into the frozen lake.

I screamed with pain, covering my bloodied left eye.

Blood started to drip on thick white snow.

I could not think of anything. Except to run away and whimpering with pain.

* * *

**_ Extra _ **

Tsuna was seen sitting alone in this study room. His paperwork left untouched and he had been praying hard for [Full Name]'s safe return. He had been distressed ever since her disappearance and after hearing the whole truth from Arianna, he felt horrible.

[Full Name]'s absence gave a huge impact to the brunet himself. 

Gokudera came inside the study room and placed a cup of tea on his table. It was the only thing he could do to try to calm Tsuna. He was worried and he had never seen Tsuna in that such state.

"Tenth, you haven't been sleeping. How about getting some rest instead?"

"No. I won't rest until I get any news from Ayano."

"Should we send our subordinate to look for her?"

"You've heard from Arianna. We can't go there or we will end up exposing her presence at Russia to the enemies at there," Tsuna gritted his teeth with frustration. "Although I want to go there alone and bring her back."

The phone suddenly rang and Tsuna grabbed the phone quickly to answer the call. He was expecting some update from Arianna but it was [Full Name] talking to him. His eyes widened with shock when he finally heard her voice.

"[Name]! Are you alright??" 

_"...I'm fine...for now..."_

"What do you mean by that? Are you still in Russia??"

_"I...I can't talk long. I need to tell you something..."_

"...Are you hurt, [Name]?"

_"...f-fetch Yuni home...she should be in Germany by now. Please be quick...she needs to...give something important to Hibari-san..."_

"Yuni? Wait, what about you??" 

_"I'm...going to be fine. I have to go now..."_

"[Name]!! Don't go!!!"

The call ended with a click and Tsuna froze with fear. [Name]'s tone was weak and he could sense something bad had happened to her in Russia. He would not just stand here and wait. He placed the phone down and he turned to look at his right-hand man.

"Hayato, I'll let you be in charge for temporary. Assign any of the guardians to fetch Yuni from Germany and they must be accompanied by either Byakuran or Gamma. Make it quick."

The Storm Guardian nodded and he quickly left his room to call out the other guardians. Tsuna picked up the phone again to call Reborn and it took him only a few seconds for the other to answer his call.

_"What is it, Tsuna?"_

"You don't need to worry about Yuni. She's safe. I need you to come with me. Ayano is in grave danger."

_"Got it. Meet me at the airport."_


	30. Capture

I placed my phone down on the thick snow and I took a few deep breaths, trying to resist the pain I was suffering. I hid under the bridge in the isolated area. No one was around and I would be safe for temporary. I found some torn dry clothes while I was running away, so I used it to cover my bloodied left face. The pick ice nearly poked at my eye but I avoided it, causing it to slash at my left face instead. I did not know how bad was the wound and I was afraid to look at the mirror to check it out. 

I ruined my face and Tsuna would not call me cute again.

It was more than a day and Yuni should have reached Italy. I took a lot of courage to try calling Tsuna to fetch her in Germany. He was worried, as Yuni had expected. Especially when I spoke to him with my weak tone. Arianna would have started to do something to prevent the biological weapon attack from happening.

I looked over at the frozen river and it reminded me of something.

A week after I started to date with Tsuna, he wanted to take me to the ice skating rink. I was dumbfounded when I was going to learn how to skate on the ice. Roller skates were bad enough for me. Visitors at there kept on staring at us for reason. They could get to see Don Vongola skating on the ice with his girlfriend. I never wanted to come in public because it was too embarrassing. I kept on falling several times and I could not skate properly. Some people just laughed at me and I grumbled with annoyance.

_"Come on, Ayano. You can do it. Just try a little harder and you will get to skate better than anyone else."_

Tsuna was patient and he kept on encouraging me to do my best. He said that he was once bad at skating and he kept on trying until he succeeded. 

My dry lips slowly curved into a smile when I recall a good memory of mine. Since that he had finally apologised to me, I could at least forgive him and return to his side-

_**THUMP!!!** _

I jumped with shock and I saw a large black plastic bag lying on the frozen river. Someone must have thrown it there and it looked like they had just dumped-

"Anyone who dares to betray the Morozov Family will end up just like that corpse."

I almost stopped breathing when I heard someone was talking at the bridge. A dead body. Why someone would throw a dead body at this isolated area?

I quietly moved and stay deeper under the bridge so that no one noticed my presence. Another person was talking to the first person. I assumed it must be Pyotr Morozov and his subordinate.

"Boss, why Sevastyan needs to be killed? He's the most loyal subordinate that you ever have."

"It is his purpose. Don't you know that he's working for the Vongola to spy on me?"

"H-how did you know that, boss?"

"My dearest wife told me about it. She returned to the main orphanage and got ambushed by someone else. The moment she woke up, the children and the hostage were missing and Sevastyan was nowhere to be found. She found an ID card and she was shocked to learn that he was the CEDEF's agent all along."

"So, he's been...betraying all of us?"

"I call his phone number and he acted as if nothing happened. I invited him for a tea break at my office and I was amused that he failed to realise I've been poisoning him with my latest biological weapon invention. That weapon was meant for the whole mafia families and Sevastyan was honoured to be my first test subject."

I covered my mouth and I was horrified to learn about Sevastyan's death. That corpse was him and this was how a traitor of Morozov Family died.

The rumour was right. The Morozov Family was a ruthless mafia group.

One of them had their phone ringing and they picked up the call. I did not know what was about but as soon the subordinate announce it to his boss, this was their bad news.

"B-boss...we have bad news..."

"Bad news?"

"Your wife-"

"What happened to her?"

"She...she was drowning in the frozen lake and died due to pneumonia after admitted to the hospital twelve hours ago."

"...how did Clelia end up drowning in the lake?"

"She...she was trying to kill that Don Vongola's secretary and they were struggling until the other pushed your wife away, causing her to fall into that lake..." the subordinate explained. "Also, most of our orphanages in Italy and other European regions are forced to shut down with immediate effect due to suspicion of producing biological weapons..."

"...Umanosuke Shinya...Minoru Ayano..." Pyotr growled with rage.

"Boss, are you alright?"

"Get all of the men to find Minoru Ayano. I want her _alive_ , and I will show her what it means to mess up with the Morozov Family!"

I prayed hard for them not to find me under the bridge. Pyotr Morozov was furious and he wanted to kill me off.

I heard their footsteps walking away from the bridge and to make sure that they were gone, I had to peek from my hiding spot. Their shadows disappeared from the deep woods and I quickly came out to check on Sevastyan's corpse. I unzipped the black plastic bag and I gasped, looking at his condition.

Sevastyan's skin was completely as white as the snow. Part of his face and his body were green in colour and some black veins appeared on his skin. His eyes were wide open.

I hoped that he managed to hide the children at the safe place he had suggested before he died due to poisoning. If this was how he died, then everyone would end up like his condition.

A locket dropped out from his pocket pants and I picked it up to see. My heart ached more to see a picture of a family.

He was Anya Golovanov's younger brother. He left his own family to protect them and he had tried his best to protect the children.

I zipped back the bag and I gave some final prayers to Sevastyan before burying him at a temporary spot.

"Once everything is over, I'll come back and return your body to your family. In the meantime, I'm sorry...Sevastyan Golovanov."

* * *

I need to be careful while walking around the city. I need to go to the airport and return to Italy before Pyotr's men caught me. I still had the untouched allowances that Arianna gave me and it was enough to purchase a flight ticket to Rome. I was getting weaker due to blood loss and the cold weather was making my condition worse than I thought.

The frozen river had been a useful guide to me since it was leading me straight to Moscow. I had to depend on my right eye to see what was in front of me and I need to be aware of the Morozov members. I made sure that my hood could cover my head to protect my identity. 

I arrived at a market and it was unexpectedly crowded. The middle-aged women were around to buy some market goods with their children. At the same time, I saw some heavily tattooed men with black tank tops. I had a bad feeling about them as I stopped by at one stall, pretending to buy something.

"Damn it. Not them again."

"Why, what is it?"

"It's those Morozov men again. They keep on wandering around nowadays just to find someone. I can't even allow my children to go out and play."

"Yeah, we know how good Pyotr is but we are expecting his men to behave the same way as he does."

The two elderly women were whispering to each other and trying not to look at those men. I was unsure what to do next and they were slowly approaching my direction.

"Hey, mister. You want to buy something?" the seller asked me curiously. "You look pretty bad. Is there something wrong?"

My mind was blank and when I looked up at the seller, his eyes went wide with surprise.

"Aren't you the wanted person that those men looking for?"

Even the two women stared at me suspiciously. I had to leave the market.

I quickly walked away from that seller's stall and I was trying to walk as fast as possible. More people kept on bumping me and I almost stumbled. It was when I was about to leave the crowded place, my nose caught a similar scent.

The cologne that Tsuna always use.

I immediately turn around and I did saw someone with brunet hair. I could not believe it. He was already in Russia? I might be mistaken for someone else but I need to find out if it was Tsuna. I crammed myself into the crowd again and I tried to walk fast to catch up with him. He was further away from me and I was about to lose him.

"Hey, you! Stop right there!!"

I was stunned when the men with black tank tops glared at me. I was not ready to die in the hands of Pyotr Morozov. I switched my position and I ran into the dark alley. I could not fight them off due to my condition unless if I had no choice. I could hear their heavy footsteps, chasing me from behind. I ran every turn in the dark alley until I accidentally pushed someone in front of me.

"S-sorry!" I said with distress and I was about to run when I heard the familiar voice.

"Watch where you're going," the deep voice spoke with a stern tone.

I slowly looked up and I saw a man with a black fedora hat with his black suit. Was I dreaming?

"...R...Reborn??" 

The hitman was still glaring at me suspiciously before his expression turned into a surprised look. He removed my jacket hood from my head and he was more alarmed than I expected.

"...Minoru Ayano? What the- what on earth had happened to you??"

"L...long story..." I cried with relief as I rubbed off my tears from my right eye. "But I'm so glad to see you here..."

"You're going to get some scoldings after we return to Italy," said Reborn quickly and he carefully touched my bloodied bandage on my left face. "Who did this to you?"

I turned around and those men were assembled and they were ready to take me to their boss. I gritted my teeth and when I was ready to fight them off, Reborn stood in front of me to stop me from doing anything. He took out his pistol, giving his deathlike look to those men.

"Ayano, you better run away from here. Go to the south-east of the town and you will meet Tsuna at there. He must have been waiting for my news."

"What about you, Reborn?" I asked worriedly. "You sure you can take them down?"

"Who says I can't?" he gave a sly smirk as he loaded his pistol. "I'm the world's greatest hitman, remember?"

I just stared at him for a moment before I took my chance to run out from the alley, leaving Reborn to deal with those men. It felt like I had seen the ray of hope after I had met him. The next person I was expected to see was the brunet himself. So, he was here after all-

**_WHAM!!_ **

Someone hit my head harshly and I fell onto the ground. I was shaking with pain and dizziness and I felt more blood coming out from my head. My vision was blurred that I could not see who was coming to me. All I knew that I fell into the hands of Pyotr Morozov.

"Umanosuke Shinya, I've found your beloved daughter."


	31. Reunion

I could not stand all the madness done by the Morozov Family. They kept on taking people's life without us noticing. My father died and Anya's brother was dead. I was about to join them sooner or later.

The last thing I remembered was that Reborn told me to run and find Tsuna while he was dealing with those Morozov men. I did run and when I was almost reaching the brunet, I was knocked down by someone.

My brain was still muddled and I was trying to wake up. My nose picked a horrible smell. Something was dead.

The moment I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on the dirty ground and I screamed with horror to see many rotten dead bodies in an unknown room. I was being tied up and the ropes were so tight that I could not move my hands. The door was opened and someone was walking towards me.

I looked up and I saw a distinguished-looking man smiling slyly at me. He knelt and he used his forefinger to press the wound on my face, trailing it several times. I clenched my jaw tightly and I squirmed with pain. He laughed darkly while looking at my reaction. He did not stop and he was about to tear off my skin.

"S-Stop it!!" I shouted at him and he moved his finger away from my wound before grabbing my chin where I could directly look at his face.

"Well, well...that pretty wound you have do match your perfect face," he chuckled. "You should say thanks to my wife for giving you this rare gift. Although, it's indeed sad that she is no longer alive."

"Y...you...and your rotten wife...are nothing but monsters..." I growled in anger.

"Monsters?" Pyotr repeated and he shoved me on the ground. "You've heard of the Morozov family who did a good thing to all the poor orphaned children, so why do you call this family a monster?"

"If you're not a monster, you would not have used them as your test subjects!" I snapped. "You are a murderer behind that sickening mask of yours!"

Pyotr Morozov glared at me and turned to look at another corner as he started to talk.

"I've lost my parents when I was only a month old. None of my relatives wanted to take me in as a family, so I was taken to the orphanage. I had no friends, only being a bully victim among the children. I did not do anything wrong, so why were they mistreating me? It got worse when I entered high school and I had enough with all this sh*t. So I joined a mafia group to change my weak self. I even go against my nature by hurting more people and I started to kill them. Anyone who dares to mess up with me, I will make sure that they will suffer for their entire life."

I was listening while working on loosening the rope around my hands.

"I want everyone to fear me, and I want them to know that it is not a wise move to try fighting against me. To be the strongest mafia family in the world, I must do something. That is why I am planning to make my biological weapon that will become the main asset of my mafia family. Once I've annihilated all the mafia families, I will be the only one to rule the world."

He slowly turned back to look at me and I stopped moving my hands. His eyes were filled with hatred and anger.

"But I did not expect to know that there were few people to come and stop my desired dream. First, your father. Then, Sevastyan. And now, you."

"M-me?"

"When I first saw your face, you reminded me of someone and I had to look over the files from the previous years. I was surprised that you had the same look like your father named Umanosuke Shinya. You weren't the harm of my family but I began to think that it was a perfect chance to ruin your relationship with Don Vongola. Sadly, it was my big mistake. I would never think that you would continue with your deceased father's mission by looking for the evidence. Because of you, everything I built was ruined."

I stared blankly at him. My lips automatically curved into a pitiful, looking smile at Pyotr. He seemed to hate the way I reacted to him.

"Who the hell is going to respect you like the mafia boss? You just wanted to make everyone feel like how you have been through when you were younger."

"...Minoru Ayano, what are you trying to say now?"

"Did I say anything wrong? You wanted everyone to go through the same way as you did. Using those children as your test subject directly making you imagine them as those bullies you've met. Or better else, you want everyone to feel unhappy as what you are."

"Because they deserved it-" he said with his low tone.

"No, you're doing it wrong," I piped in. "I've lost my father, so to protect my mother, I need to be strong. Yeah, I've fought with many boys or anyone for trying to take advantage of us. Did I ever think of killing them? No, I only teach them a lesson to not mess up with me and my mother. But you. You took the wrong turn. You solve everything with violence. You are nothing but a coward. Running away from your problems."

"...Coward, huh?"

Pyotr mumbled and he harshly kicked at my stomach. I gasped and almost coughing out blood. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and lifted my head to look at him.

"I won't hesitate to kill you but I have a better idea," he gave a nasty grin. "You are responsible for the death of my wife. You will slowly experience the torture before you die, and I will let Don Vongola watch your last moments of life. I want to let him feel of losing someone he loved. And after that, I will be able to kill him and destroy the Vongola family."

"I would do anything to protect someone I care..." I hissed. "I am here to stop you from destroying Vongola and others. I would let you hurt me rather than you hurting them. Don't you even dare to lay your hands on Decimo."

"Pity."

He pushed me away and he stood up, walking out from an unknown room. I did see him switching on some sort of a switch. I looked around and I saw some small holes appearing against the walls. Something small was coming out from those holes. And they were more of them-

"Holy f*ck!! Are those rats?!!" I shrieked with shock.

I hated rodents for my whole life and this was the worst nightmare for me. Being tied up in the room filled with dead bodies and rats. 

Despite the pain, I had to think of a way to escape before the rats ate me alive. I kept on struggling to sit up straight and my head was still fuzzy due to the injury on my head. I frantically look around for any sharp objects to cut off the ropes. One of the dead bodies was holding an empty vodka glass bottle and I grabbed it out with my boots. Since I could not use my hands to break it, I had that bottle placed against the wall and I crush it with my boots several times. It broke and I took one of the glass shards to cut the ropes.

"I don't want to get eaten by this rats...hurry up and cut this damn rope...!" I mumbled and I wished that I could burn the whole room. 

I finally freed myself and I stood up quickly, running towards the air vent with its cover dangling against the wall. I climbed up and I quickly shut the air vent with the cover.

There was no time to waste. I had to escape from this place and return to Italy as I did not know where Reborn and Tsuna was. I crawled inside the air vent and carefully not to fall from any possible holes. The surroundings were quiet and after five minutes, I heard the sound of gunshots. Sounded like there was a fight and I was surprised to hear some familiar voices.

"VOIII!!! YOU BETTER TELL US WHERE IS THAT WOMAN OR I'LL SLICE ALL OF YOU!!!"

"Yikes, Captain Squalo is loud as usual."

"How about using your illusions and confuse these peasants at once?"

"I will, only if you let me take off this large hat from my head."

"Where's the boss?! I need to help him right now!"

"He probably walked away because he can't stand having you accompanying him."

"Kid, what did you just say?!"

"I'm just saying the truth. Why is everyone always angry at me?"

I was listening to the Varia members' conversation and they were fighting against all the men with black tank tops. Those men were the Morozov Family's men, but why the Varia members were here?

I should not interrupt them and I resume crawling to find a possible exit. The more I crawl, the more I heard familiar voices.

"Adelheid! Shitopi-chan! There are a few rooms there, could you please check it out if she's there?!"

"Got it, Enma!"

"The Morozov boss is always nowhere to be found. Is he hiding away from us or what??"

"I'm not sure either, Rauji. But we'll meet him soon enough. He won't be able to escape after his hidden plans had been revealed."

"Kaoru! Did you see Tsuna coming here??"

"No, I have been with Enma most of the time."

Why there were many allied families in this place? I kept on crawling further and if I could drop from any of the air vent holes, I might be able to see anyone in this place. I stopped at one spot and I tried to smash open the cover. The drill was loosened and after I gave another harsh hit, the cover was wide open and I fell straight onto the ground. I was groaning with pain, especially my wounded head. My head was dizzier than before and I heard someone shouting outside the room where I fell. I wanted to respond when the door was burst open. 

The brunet stood there, staring back at me. He had a hard time to recognise me and I was still kneeling on the ground. 

"...T...Tsuna?"

"O-Oh God! Is that you, Ayano??" Tsuna's tone was unsteady as he looked at my condition. I could only give a tired smile as I nodded my head.

He did not hesitate further. He ran into the room and pulled me into a tight hug. I went on to hug him back as tightly as he did and I started to cry. It felt like I had not seen him for many years after that incident.

"It's all my fault...it's all my fault...!" Tsuna spoke out with his guilt tone. "I should have known better...this is all the enemy's trick and yet, I fell for that-"

"N-no...it's fine..." I replied while sobbing. "Only your presence...make me feel nothing...but happy..."

"You're hurt, how could you say it's fine??" he stated desperately and he took a closer look at the wound on my left face. His hand was shaking as he carefully touched the wound. "W-who did this...to you?"

"W-wow...you're the second person...to ask me that...question..." I laughed a little. "Well...it does not matter...for now..."

"This is not a time to laugh, Ayano! Just hold on for a little longer!" 

The brunette was trying to lift me only to feel something wet on my head. His hand was stained with blood and his eyes widened with horror.

I did see the amount of blood at his hand. I lost a lot. No wonder I got weaker. Tired. And sleepier.

"T...Tsuna, I'm...tired. Can I-"

"No, I won't allow."

"I just...want to...sleep. It's been days-"

"Stop that, Ayano!! Don't ever close your eyes!!!"

"...t...tired...feel...sleepy..."

I mumbled out some few words and I slowly passed out. The last thing I heard was Tsuna's frantic scream, calling out for his guardians and his allies. More footsteps coming in.

All that left was darkness.

* * *

**_ Extra _ **

Pietro Inverno was reading an article from the newspaper about the closure of the Morozov Family's orphanages. The picture of Pyotr Morozov gave a feeling of uneasiness to the Snow Arcobaleno as he threw the newspaper in the dustbin. His right-hand man was curious about his behaviour as he asked.

"Is there anything wrong, boss?"

"Nothing wrong," Pietro sighed. "Looking at that madman makes me want to throw up."

"I noticed that this man named Pyotr Morozov had the same name as you are."

"Believe it or not, he's my older twin brother."

"Y-your twin brother? How could it be??"

"My father wanted to build a family despite the curse he was carrying. My mother gave birth to a pair of twins. It was strange to see that no one liked me and my older twin was everyone's favourite but my father told us that he would love us equally because we were his children. When it was the time to choose the new Snow Arcobaleno candidate, the Snow pacifier harshly rejected my older twin and chose me instead. He was angry and he was not satisfied with the result. He escaped and never returned, cutting his ties with my parents and me and created his new identity before building his mafia group so that he could destroy me for crushing his dreams."

"You mean, he had been trying to kill you all the time?" his right-hand man gasped with shock. "So, that rumoured biological weapon was meant for you?"

"I guess so. He heard that Byakuran once created a non-Trinisette ray that can kill all the Arcobaleno members, and he wanted to create a similar weapon to kill me off. He knew the Vongola and others would protect me and he would annihilate them before he came to kill me personally."

There was a silence between them and Pietro's right-hand man had realised something from his mind. 

"Don Vongola and his allied families are now at Russia to catch that madman and save Segretario Minoru. The former Sky Arcobaleno did mention that something terrible is going to happen to Don Vongola's secretary."

"About that..." Pietro stared back at his Snow pacifier. "That fiery secretary is going to be fine."

"How did you know? You don't have the power to see the future."

"Of course I know. Let's say I'm doing a favour for Tsuna after he's been taking care of me for a long time."


	32. Scar

A month had passed since the incident and it felt like it had happened yesterday. I was immediately sent to the intensive care unit due to serious injuries and blood loss. I remained unconscious for weeks and Tsuna had been accompanying me almost every day. I knew that he continued talking to me so that I could respond to him. While I was still unconscious, I heard many things he said in my empty dream.

_"[Name], do you remember the last time, you said you wanted to see your mother? You even said that you want to see the fireworks together with all of us."_

_"It's already over and we did overcome that obstacle. So the only thing left to do is to watch the fireworks during the summer season. That is why, you need to wake up. Everyone is waiting for you."_

_"I'm...waiting for you to wake up too."_

Those were the only things I heard from him and I later drifted off to another dreamless sleep. I did not know how long I had been asleep but all I knew that there was a nightmare that made me woke up in sudden.

I was standing in the middle of the snowfield alone and it was deathly quiet, except for the sound of the wind. I called out for anyone and there was no response. It felt like I was the only one existed in this cold place. I gave a long sigh that I decided to walk until I found something or someone. The snow was thick and it was difficult to walk at a fast pace.

I blinked hard and I saw a frozen lake in front of me. I walked closer to that lake and I could see the shadow of a human from inside. Due to my curiosity, I knelt and look quite closely at the icy cold lake.

The frozen lake suddenly broke into pieces and to my horror, I saw Clelia Federigo sprang out with her ghost-like grin that matched her pale bluish skin. Her claw hands grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into the cold lake. I struggled to free myself from her grip and there was someone else gripping my legs as well. My eyes widened to see Pyotr Morozov inside. His face resembled a water demon and he was pulling me further in. I gasped and I was losing too much air. The two of them just laughed and resumed pulling me in.

_"It's not over yet, Minoru Ayano~!"_

I screamed with shock and my eyes were wide open. I breathe heavily and I looked around to know where was I. My head was heavy because of the bandages. I was in a ward and there were many medical equipments around my bed. I remembered that I was injured during my mission at Russia, then Tsuna and Reborn arrived to take me home until I was caught by Pyotr Morozov. I did escape and I passed out due to blood loss-

What about the wound at my left face?

I picked up a hand mirror at the side table and held it up. The slash wound was not as bad as I thought but since it would be a permanent scar on my face, there were different feelings inside my mind.

Anger, disappointment, sadness and hopelessness.

I threw the mirror across the floor and the sound of it alerting someone from outside the ward. The door was opened and Tsuna was surprised to see me waking up.

He quickly came to me and smiled with relief, grasping my hands tightly.

"[Name]! You finally awake!" the brunet said happily.

"Y-yeah...I guess so..." I answered.

"Why is that look? Are you still feeling unwell?"

"No, I'm fine..."

I wanted to be happy to see him at my side but I could not do so. It felt more like I wanted to push him away for a strange reason. I moved his hands away from his grasp and I covered my face. He was confused with my behaviour as he tried to talk to me again. I did not respond and he was desperate to know what was wrong with me. The door was opened again with someone else coming in.

"Tenth, what's going on?"

"I...I don't know. Ayano refused to talk to me and she's not even looking at me."

"...I think we should leave her alone for a while."

"What are you talking about?? I can't just leave her like this!"

"She's getting more confused. If we force her, the doctors will not allow us to see her again. How about we have someone else to talk to her?"

"Who are you suggesting, Hayato?"

"I can ask for my sister's help. Or maybe Chrome Dokuro."

There was the silence and I heard Tsuna was leaving the ward with Gokudera. After the door was closed, I quietly sobbed and burying my face at my knees.

The silver-haired was right. At this rate, I was confused. I was unsure if Tsuna would continue to love me with this current state of mine. I hate to think that he would leave me but what if it might happen?

* * *

"So, that's what had been bothering your mind."

Bianchi had been spending most of her time to find out about my strange behaviour after receiving the news from her brother. It was awkward to tell but all the time, she did not laugh. She was concerned when it comes to girls' problems, especially about love relationships.

"You are worried that Tsuna only pitying you because of that scar on your face? I don't think so. He never asked about it when he saved you."

"I was hoping that he doesn't care about my damaged look, but...think about it. If other people saw both of us in public, they would question him," I sighed. "Like, why would Don Vongola ends up going out with that ugly girl, there are better-looking women out there and yet, he chooses me."

"Well, why don't you look at Chrome? She lost an eye in the accident and she has to use an eyepatch to cover the hole, but still looked stunning at every man's eyes. You haven't met Lal Mirch, right?"

"Um, no. Who is she?"

"She's the CEDEF top agent and she's married with Colonello. She had the scar at the side of her face, much worse than yours but that did not stop Colonello from marrying her. He loves her so much that he's willing to sacrifice his life for her."

Bianchi gave a soft smile and gently touched the wound on my face.

"This scar of yours shows your true courage as a woman, Ayano. You did everything to protect someone you cared. There's no shame of hiding it from everyone."

"You...you think so?"

"Of course," she replied. "Everyone is waiting for your return, so be sure to recover from your injuries."

I smiled back at her and I nodded. We talked a little until someone came in to join us. Tsuna's face looked like he got dumped by someone and it was my fault. Bianchi gave a sneaky wink at me before she left the ward, leaving me and the brunet inside. None of us tried to break the silence between us and when we did, we ended up doing it at the same time.

"Oh, I...you can speak first if you want," said Tsuna.

"N-no, you first," I said awkwardly. "What if it's important?"

"I would think it will be much proper for me to let a lady talk first before a gentleman does."

"I...I don't know what to talk..."

Tsuna gave a short laugh upon seeing my reaction. He came close to my bed and sat beside me. I was staring at him and my cheeks were boiling with embarrassment. I quickly covered my face with my hands but the brunet stopped me from doing so. He held both of my hands and moving them away from my face. His one hand cupped my left cheek and he used his thumb to trail the scar at my face. I grew nervous when he did that and he was leaning closer where our eyes met each other. His kind stare gave the warm feeling inside my heart.

Before I could talk, he placed his lips onto mine and kissing me softly. I flinched with surprise but his time, I slowly responding to his kiss after I got myself relaxed. It was only for a while when we pulled apart and we were looking back at each other.

"I...I'm sorry..."

"Why are you apologising for?"

"Because of the way I treated you after I woke up," I answered with a sad tone. "I know it sounds childish to me. I'm afraid that you would leave me because of the scar on my face-"

"Ayano," the brunette grasped my hand tightly. "Did I ever say I like you because of your looks?"

"No-"

"Exactly. There are more reasons why I fall in love with someone like you. To me, you are already perfect."

"But people would talk. I mean...you're Don Vongola, and me, with this look I have, there's no way I'm letting you deal with these mean gossips."

"Do you think I'd care what they would say about you? 

"...Tsuna..."

"It is my fault for believing something I should not believe," the brunet gave a deep sigh. "I am aware that I had been spending less time with you due to urgent meetings. I am completely fine that you're being friendly with Dino, but when Anna sent that picture to my phone, I was uneasy. My stress and uneasiness grew higher and I was demanding a better explanation from both of you. I nearly fought with my brother when Reborn threatened to shoot both of us if we did not stop."

"W-Wow, Arianna's intuition is pretty sharp," I nervously laughed. "She did mention that he would murder his useless students for that."

"So, we apologised to each other, and I was looking for you only to find that you're missing. I think I'm scaring most of my friends after I went berserk in the headquarters. I did not expect that Kyoya already knew before I do and I heard the whole truth from Arianna. I wanted to go to Russia and bring you back but she told me not to do anything or I might exposing your identity to the Russian mafioso."

"I'm glad that you did not murder Anna since I told her that I'll play along with Pyotr Morozov's game-" I blinked for a second. "What happened to him?"

"All of his subordinates were arrested by the Vindice, but...he managed to escape. He's now the Vindice's wanted list."

"P-Pyotr is still on the loose?" my hands shivered. "N-no wonder I..."

"Is there anything wrong?" Tsuna frowned with worry.

"He...he was inside my dream with Clelia...and they...they are not going to let me go easily..." I stuttered. "W-what if he's...coming to kill me-"

Tsuna went on to pull me into a tight hug and rubbed my back to calm me down. I hugged him back as tight as he did, not willing to let him go.

"It's fine now, [Name]. I'm here, right?" he whispered in my ear softly. "I'm not going to let anyone harm you...because I love you."

I had been waiting for him to say those things to me and I felt like the burden inside my heart had been lifted. I burying my face in his chest and crying. I sensed that he was smiling warmly as he continued to touch my hair. He was feeling glad that he finally confessed his true feelings to me.

If anything happened to Tsuna, I will protect him. Not only as his secretary but as someone he truly loved.

* * *

_**Extra** _

Pyotr Morozov was still running away until he reached inside the dark forest in the coldest spot of Russia. He was out of breath and he was losing more energy as his knees gave away, falling onto the thick snow. His fight against Vongola Decimo was rather intense after he had seen Tsuna's rage face for hurting Minoru Ayano.

He gritted his teeth with anger and he slammed his fists into the large oak tree. His family had been destroyed, his wife was dead and he lost everyone's trust due to his heinous act. He could not get to kill off Pietro Inverno to take over his place as the rightful Snow Arcobaleno.

"Don Vongola...you'll pay for this..." he growled. "I swear that I'll wipe out all of you..."

He soon heard footsteps approaching towards him and he took out a pistol, aiming at the possible stranger. The stranger was seen wearing a cloak with a hood covering his face. He stopped in front of Pyotr and he was silent.

"Who are you?!" Pyotr yelled at the stranger. "You're working for the Vindice, right?!"

"Do you want to wipe out the Vongola Famiglia?" the stranger asked calmly.

"I said, who the hell are you?!" Pyotr yelled again with fury and he was ready to pull the pistol's trigger. "I'll shoot you if you dare to come near me!!"

The hooded stranger ignored his warning and he continued to approach him. Pyotr's hands were shivering and when he was about to shoot, the stranger knelt and held the pistol without hesitation. 

Just one touch and the pistol was malfunctioned. Pyotr's eyes widened with horror when he witnessed it.

"Your pistol is useless now. If you still want to shoot me, you'll lose fingers and your whole hand," the stranger explained. "So, you are planning to wipe out the Vongola?"

"You...you're going to kill me?" Pyotr shivered. "Why...why do you care about me...destroying the Vongola??"

"I can help you grant your wish. I'll keep you hiding from being arrested by the Vindice."

"Just...who are you??"

The stranger slowly removed his hood from his head and Pyotr was horror-stricken to see who was in front of him. 

A young man with golden blonde hair and a piercing orange eye was staring back at him with his calm demeanour. 

However, the calm look was more intimidating.

"N-no way. Y...you...you're supposed to be d-dead...hundred years ago..."


	33. Ease

"Anya, I...I want to apologise to you and your parents...about Sevastyan's death-"

"No, it's not your fault! No one never expected this to happen."

"You did not blame me for this?"

"We never blame you. We thank you for bringing his body back to us. He had been protecting the children even if he knew he would be dead."

I was discharged from the hospital after two weeks and I asked for Tsuna's permission to go to Russia so that I could bring Sevastyan's body back to his family. As he was a part of the CEDEF, Tsuna suggested that the current external advisor, Basil should follow along. 

The moment we met, I gaped with shock because it was the same person I met at the airport. Basil was surprised too ("Oh, you're one helped me picking up my phone, right?") and we introduced each other formally. 

He explained that he and Sevastyan were Iemitsu's students when they were still the CEDEF agents and they used to be rivals. Ten years had changed them so much that Basil gained full respect from Sevastyan after taking over the CEDEF as the new external advisor. His death gave a great impact to Basil and he decided to visit the Golovanov family to tell more about their son aside from his sincere condolences. 

Thanks to their help, Basil, Tsuna and I managed to save the hidden children from Sevastyan's grandfather's house and they were soon returning home to their beloved families. It was rather tiring but I was happy to see that everything was settled. Though I could not forget that Pyotr Morozov was still on the loose. 

"You're so quiet, Ayano. Are you still not feeling well?"

"I...I'm just thinking."

Tsuna and I were stopping by at one spot where we sat and looking at the colosseum. He said that he wanted to bring me out for a walk after I was discharged. Right after our work in Russia, we had been walking around the city of Rome. It was fun and I was able to relax my mind. When I settled down, I had been thinking about something after I joined the mafia world.

"Am I considered a killer after what I have done to Clelia Federigo?"

"Why would you say that?"

"I...I never wanted to kill someone," I explained with my confused look. "Most of my time, the only severe thing I had done was punching and kicking some number of delinquents at my school and to those who tried to take advantage of my mother. Nothing involves death. But, after I pushed Clelia away, she fell into the frozen lake and was drowned to death. I killed her. and it was no wonder she had been haunting me in my dreams."

I was waiting for his reply as I looked back at the colosseum. More tourists were coming to visit and I was envious at them. They were the people who were free from the mafia world. They would not have to witness more violence and deaths unlike me.

"I envied them too. These people are lucky to stay in a better universe than we do."

"Yeah, I agree-" I glanced back at the brunet with surprise. "How did you know what I am thinking?"

"Coincidence," Tsuna laughed.

"That's not a coincidence! Is it your intuition again??" 

"I didn't say anything about my intuition," he gave a sly smirk.

"Yeah right," I pouted with dislike. "Maybe I should learn to shut my mind so that you would not know what I am thinking."

"Come on, Ayano. My intuition does not work like that."

"Really?"

"If I were you, I would be extra careful with Reborn. He reads better than I do."

Tsuna looked back at the scenic view and he placed his hand on mine. 

"The mafia world is cruel. Even when I am fully determined to change the Vongola as it should be, it is the violence that cannot be avoided. I admit I did kill some, with reason. The same thing goes to all my guardians."

"You did kill?"

"When I see certain people who can harm my family and my allies, I will not hesitate. Enemies have ways to try assassinate me, so I could not let my own guard down. Which is why I did ask you to drop your real identity if you want to work for me. I want you to do that to protect your only remaining family member. At least I understand why my father left me and my mother when I was young."

His hand slowly grasped mine and he stared back at me.

"Killing is wrong but you're protecting yourself from getting hurt again. No point bringing this up when you felt that it was the only way to protect yourself."

"But...what if I kill again?"

"You have a rational mind. You don't go and kill everyone like a madman or a serial killer."

The brunet stood up and pulling me up before he checked the time on his watch.

"Are we going somewhere else, Tsuna?"

"Yes, we can drop by to eat something. But first, let us go to one place."

"Where is that place you're taking me to?"

"You'll know soon."

* * *

Out of my expectation, Tsuna was taking me to watch a movie and we queued up to buy the tickets. He said that he had been looking forward to bring me out for a proper date. It was a surprise and I was fine with it. 

At the same time, it was a test for me.

Some people around me were staring at both of us. Mainly me because of my scar. I could hear them whispering to each other and this irritated me a lot. I secretly glanced at Tsuna and he was acting as if nothing would affect him. I should follow what he did but I felt like I wanted to yell at these ignorant people.

"Tickets for two?" the middle-aged cashier asked with her mild-mannered tone.

"Yes, two for us," Tsuna replied and handed some cash. 

"There you go," the cashier gave us the tickets and she was smiling at me. "Is this your first time going out with your boyfriend?"

I flinched and my face immediately turned red. 

"Y-yeah, my first time."

"Oh, have a good time," she waved at me before both of us went to the movie hall.

"H-how did she know it's my first time going out with you?"

"Because girls usually are affectionate towards their boyfriends during their date," Tsuna snickered. "We've been going out a few times and you're still acting like we're just friends."

"T-That's because I'm still your secretary!" I flushed with embarrassment. "And I'm not that kind of girl who..."

"Hm, what kind?"

"You're expecting me to act like I'm admiring my heroic boyfriend, right?"

"I'm glad that you're not taking any of Haru's personality," the brunet replied. "When at work, you're my secretary, but when we're out, you don't need to be formal. Relax and have fun with me, okay?"

"...Okay."

He knew that I was a fan of a horror movie and while we were watching, he was the one had been flinching at every jump scare scenes. I silently giggled and I grasped his hand tightly to calm him down. Bianchi once told me that he was afraid of ghosts and she had seen his reactions during the test of courage game ten years ago. I was quite focused on the movie, trying to ignore the annoying whispers behind my seat.

Right after two hours, I went to the toilet to wash my hands and another young woman was coming in as well. She gave a disgusted look at me before she went on to apply some makeup on her face. That was when she started talking to me during the movie screening.

"I don't get it. From all the pretty looking ladies, that guy ended up picking a hideous looking girl. I mean, who on earth wanted to court a girl with that ugly scar on her face. I would die of shame if that thing is on my face. If I were that guy, I would just dump her for good."

My lips turned into a devilish smirk. I simply pressed the end of water tap with my finger and the water squirted to her face. She screamed with shock and skipped away from the sink. Her face revealed some freckles and pimples after half of the makeup was removed. 

"Look at yourself before insulting other people. Hope that your boyfriend loves the natural look you have."

I turned away and left the toilet. Tsuna was wondering why I was in my happy mood and I told him that I had gained my victory. He was still confused but he decided not to ask further. We were on our way to the nearest cafe to have our dinner together. I blinked several times and I remembered that cafe we were going.

"Wait, this cafe..."

"Why, did you come here before?"

"Well, it was the place where Arianna and I first met, regarding my deceased father."

"Arianna? The head of a secret intelligence agency?"

"Yeah, we went on talking about my father's supposed mission at Russia and most of the staffs at that cafe are her subordinates."

"I didn't know that. It is also the place where Reborn, Dino and I having a secret meeting."

"Do you think that maybe Arianna owned that cafe?" I asked.

"I'm not sure either because the owner of that cafe is an elderly woman," Tsuna answered as he parked the car at one spot. "We might be able to ask her about Arianna. There's more I wanted to know about her aside from being a descendant to my ancestor's friend."

We did have our dinner together and as soon we were about to finish our dessert, the elderly woman came to our table and greeted us with her friendly smile. Tsuna invited her to sit with us so that we could talk. 

The elderly woman often teased me and kept on saying that I should marry Tsuna as soon as possible because she complained that he had been staying single for too long. My face went much redder and she chuckled.

"Paola, may I ask you something? Do you know who is Arianna? I heard that she's the frequent customer at here," said Tsuna.

"Arianna, eh?" Paola blinked her eyes hard. "Oh, are you referring to my grandniece?"

"W-what?" I almost choked on the water I was drinking. "Arianna is your grandniece?"

"Why yes," she smiled. "I've been taking care of her when she was young. She lost her parents at such an early age and I am her only family member. Despite that, she's such a strong girl. Overcoming lots of unhappiness things that befall on her."

"Any reason why she would always come here?" the brunet asked further.

"Whenever she was not happy, she would come here to clear off her mind. She seems emotionless but I can tell whether she was sad or happy. Her life was rather rough, especially that her ex-husband is now a wanted man. As seen in newspapers lately."

"Arianna was married? And her ex-husband is a wanted man?" I asked and I grew uncomfortable about that topic.

"Yes, she once married to a good man from Russia. I was thinking that she will have a good life with him until one day, I got a call from the hospital. The doctors were telling me that she was suffering a miscarriage and I had to run to see her," Paola said sadly. "The doctor said that she no longer be able to get pregnant after that miscarriage. She was crying and screaming. She told me that her husband had been beating her up after finding out that she was five months pregnant. He hated children and had her to abort that child, but she refused."

Tsuna and I went quiet. We looked at each other and we knew whom Arianna was marrying. Paola mentioned that Arianna no longer trusted any men and rather stay alone for her entire life after that incident. The elderly woman had to excuse herself for other work and leaving both of us.

"If Alaude was alive right now, what would he react after he heard about Arianna?" asked Tsuna with his low tone.

"He's going to freak out like Paola," I answered. "I mean, if that is his daughter, he would be furious."

"I could not believe that she was once Pyotr Morozov's wife," added Tsuna. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have ask Paola. It's something that you should not hear."

"I'm not affected that badly. I just felt sorry for her."

Tsuna was slightly feeling glad and grasped my hand gently.

"We should head back to the headquarters, it's getting late. I'll have you rest for a few days until you're ready to work."

"No, I have enough rest already," I said sternly. "Just let Gokudera rest more since he's been filling up my work after my long absence."

"Alright, if that's what you want." 


	34. Leave

I was back to work as Don Vongola's secretary and much busier than before. All the time, Gokudera was the one took over my work after my long absence. I had to apologise to him several times for all the trouble I had caused. I managed to get everything done since nothing bad happened so far after Pyotr Morozov's case. All of his orphanages from different countries were forced to shut down and the authorities had seized several illegal items that were used to produce the biological weapon. 

The orphaned children were sent to the medical specialist for a further checkup and treatment before they were placed in another orphanage.

I took the tablet and I was about to clear the unwanted list in the scheduled timetable when my phone rang. I picked up the call and it was the brunet.

_"Good afternoon, Ayano."_

"Oh, good afternoon," I smiled as I replied. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

_"I want to know what is my schedule for five days straight by next week."_

"Let's see. There are only three meetings each day, with the other mafia families for an alliance."

_"Alright, can you please help me to postpone all those meetings to another week? Tell them that I'll be at overseas for five days."_

"Alright, I'll do it."

The call ended and I was curious about his work overseas. I shrugged my shoulders and I rearrange the schedule before making a phone call to the other mafia bosses about the postponed meetings. 

Later on, I would be having intensive training with Hibari and Reborn. 

I did get some scoldings from the hitman for putting myself in danger at Russia before I requested to have him as my tutor. I had decided to learn how to use the pistol after my mission involvement in Russia. He later agreed and he was giving me some crazy training that a normal human could not do it.

For example, some heavyweights were placed on my arms and a heavy rucksack at my back while holding the pistol steadily and aiming at the right target. I had to be in that position for an hour and I was going to burst out crying. 

"Time's up," Reborn announced and I fell onto the floor, gasping for more air.

"T...this training...is just.....insane..." I panted heavily.

"You did better than the first time you did. I am making sure that you will be able to hold the pistol at the right target without shaking," Reborn simply commented.

"How long I need to carry all these weights and this 'gold' rucksack??" 

"Until I'm satisfied with the results."

"What the hell?!" I screeched. "No wonder Tsuna and Dino are scared of you!"

"They got worse than you do," the hitman gave a sadistic smile. "One got chased by a wild bear with only a whip as his weapon, and another one got to soak himself under the waterfall. There's more I can tell if you want to know."

"Never mind," I stood up and I was about to carry all the weight in my arms. "Might as well I need to carry on with the training."

"You don't need to carry those weight again. You're ready to learn how to shoot."

"Argh! You should have just told me earlier!" I placed back all the weight onto the floor with annoyance.

"Let me ask you first. Are you seriously prepared to use this pistol? It means that you're ready for your first kill."

"I am already prepared. Ever since Clelia Federigo's death."

"Ayano, her death is not your fault. You just want to protect yourself from being killed."

"I know that, but still, it is considered as murder to me," I sighed. "I have to do something to survive in the mafia world. Tsuna even advised me to keep my mind sane because it's not easy to forget how you've killed someone. You might want to do it again after that."

"Wise thoughts from him," Reborn smiled. "He was a naive guy when he was my student. He had seen the true colours of the mafia world after he became the boss. He seemed to understand the real situation."

"If I could, I want to protect him and everyone else I cared."

* * *

I return to my room and sort out my documents for a while before sending these to Tsuna's study room. I entered his room when I saw him talking with someone through the phone. 

"...yes, we'll head off two days by now. Be sure to bring your cousin along. She's going to love it once she's there," the brunet smiled. "Okay, see you again."

He ended his call and soon looked up to notice my presence.

"Ayano, you're done with your training?"

"Yes, I'm done," I placed the documents on his desk. "Now I know it's not easy to survive thanks to Reborn's training."

"Sure thing. I've told you about it," Tsuna snickered. "You strongly reminded me of my old self. I bet he's teaching you more than just holding a pistol."

"Like lifting weights with my arms?? I can't even move an inch after that."

"Better than me. It took me a month to recover from all my injuries after I've entered Hyper Mode," he leaned against the chair he was sitting on. "I have a surprise for you."

"What surprise?"

"We'll be flying back to Japan, together with my friends. It means that you'll get to see your mother."

"I...I can get to see my mother?"

"Yes, you're able to meet her," he smiled. "I guess it's more than a year you've been away from her."

My face brightened with joy and without thinking, I ran to him and I gave a sudden tight hug. I knew he was surprised but I could not control it. It was the moment I had been waiting to see my mother again.

"This is the best surprise ever!" I said with excitement. "I've always had been dreaming of my mother and now, I can finally get to see the real person!"

"You deserve it, Ayano," Tsuna grinned and he hugged me back. "She did let you do whatever you want as long as you're safe but at the same time, she missed you so much that she wanted to meet you too."

"Same to me. There's a lot of things I can tell her, but I'm not going to tell about the mafia-"

I went silent when I thought of my deceased father. I was the only one who knew how my father died. I still remembered how my mother cried after hearing about his death. I slowly pulled myself back from the embrace and Tsuna noticed my sudden change of look

"What's wrong?"

"My mother...she did not know how my father died."

"You don't necessarily need to tell her the truth about your father."

"I know but it's not fair for her not to know anything," I explained. "And with this scar I have, I feared that she would not allow me to work as my father does. She had been worried whenever my father went abroad for work and sometimes returned home with bandages wrapped around his head, his arms or other parts. I...I don't want to make her sad again."

Tsuna seemed to understand what I meant. He held out both of his hands to cup my cheeks and he traced my pale-looking scar at my face with his thumb. 

"When was the last time you got hurt before you work for me?"

"Two years ago. I got into a fight with a bunch of gangsters. They accused me of wrecking their car which I never did it. The moment when they tried to hurt my mother, I was enraged and I beat all of them."

"And what did your mother say about it?"

"She was worried about my injuries, but she was glad that I was safe. And also grateful that she had a brave daughter like me."

"See that? Your mother did not stop you, but she is hoping that you will stay safe. She is willing to let you work overseas because she believes that you will be able to take care of yourself and do something that you like."

"You think so?"

"Your father's death is enough for your mother. There's no need to tell more of how he died. She will know the truth one day."

I felt better than before and I held both of his hands, smiling back to him. I would not have to worry further once I reunite with my mother.

* * *

I went to the kitchen and I did see all the servants were busy doing preparing the dinner but Anna was not around. She should be there since she was the lead servant. As I asked one of them, they said that she had sent her resignation letter to Gokudera and had her last talk to Tsuna before she left the headquarters. 

I was bewildered at her sudden resignation and I dashed out from the headquarters to look for her. I reached the gate when I saw one of the subordinate helping Anna to load her luggage into the boot of the car. I quickly called out for her and both of them turned to look at me with surprise.

"Anna!" I panted and I stared back at her. "Is...is it true that...you're resigning??"

"Ah, indeed I am," Anna gave a small smile. "I guess Don Vongola had forgotten to tell you about me."

"Why are you leaving? You're not telling me it's because of that incident, you decided to leave?"

"I'm afraid yes. I almost betrayed Vongola Famiglia after all. I could not stay here long after what I've done."

"It's not your fault, Anna!" I snapped. "Clelia had your family as your hostage and force you to try severe ties between me and Tsuna. You're the victim here, get what I mean??"

"...Segretario Minoru. You're still so kind to me even after I've insulted you," Anna replied with her grateful tone. "You're the reason why I broaden my mind despite after many years working for the Vongola. You're truly different from the previous secretary. Your presence had since giving hope to this family."

"And yet...you're going to leave?"

"I've sent my resignation letter to the Storm Guardian and Don Vongola had found a better place for me and my family to stay. He did not want me to become the next victim of any enemies, and I made a word that I will not spill any of Vongola's secrets."

"...I see."

Anna gave a soft grasp at my hands and smiled back at me. I recalled that she used to have that toothy smile and mistaken me as a guy but after that incident, she had completely changed. It was her firm decision to leave the Vongola despite being the victim.

"Be sure that you will be Don Vongola's future wife. There's no better candidate than you are now."

"H-huh? Since when that slipped out from your mouth??" 

She did not answer and soon waved at me before she went inside the car. The subordinate drove away, bringing her to a new place. I watched until the car disappeared from the dark woods. 

The new trouble was that I need to find a new lead servant and not all of them were highly experienced. I might need to consult this matter with Gokudera.

"Miss Ayano?"

I turned around and Chrome had been standing behind me all the time. Does that mean she heard everything between me and Anna?

"Sorry, Chrome. You've been waiting for me?"

"Well, Boss has been wondering why you leave the headquarters in sudden. So he had me to look for you. I do not wish to disturb you since you want to say farewell to Miss Anna."

"You agree with what Anna said, right? About my presence bring hope to the Vongola."

"That's an unexpected word from the former lead servant. I would agree with her statement," Chrome replied. "You may not realise it, but to all of us, your presence did give a positive impact especially to Boss himself."

She winked at me and took my hand, leading me back inside the headquarters.

"Let's go. They are waiting for us."

"Alright. Thanks, Chrome."


	35. Hometown

Kyoko and Haru had been notified that Tsuna and others will be arriving in Japan. They decided to prepare a reunion party with Nana-san's help and she was delightful to hear her son's return. Staying in Italy for a long time made me feel like I was a foreigner visiting Japan.

Only for more than a year, everything had changed a little. The small companies or shops that I used to work as the part-timer were closed and more new businesses were open. 

Bianchi was off to look for more exotic ingredients as she strolled around at Namimori streets with Kyoko and Haru. Other were planning to walk around for a visit and I saw a man with _yakuza_ hairstyle saluting Hibari's return. Yamamoto told me that he was in charge of Namimori district and he was the head of his own established group called the Foundation. I was not familiar with this district because I stayed further from Namimori.

I almost forgot that I had been living as Minoru Ayano and I need to readjust my life. Tsuna was accompanying me to the hospital as he had all his friends to assemble at his house soon. I only wanted to meet my mother but I was acting like I was about to meet the school principal. I nearly reached when a man came out from where my mother was hospitalised. 

It was the same man who helped me to deal with the two guys who tried to make a ruckus at the hospital a year ago.

"It's you! What are you doing in my mother's ward?" I asked with my surprised look.

"Oh, welcome home," the blond-haired man smiled at me. "I'm helping your mother, of course. She's doing fine for all this time."

"All this time? You've been with her after I've gone? Wait, how did you know I'm at somewhere far away?"

"Your mother told me that you're going to work at overseas," he grinned. "I bet you're going through lots of ordeals at there."

I was unsure if he was like Tsuna, being able to read my mind. Speaking of that brunet, he appeared behind me and he was giving his neutral look at that man.

"Hello, dad."

"Welcome home, Tsuna," that man replied. I quickly turned to look at the brunet.

"Tsuna, did you just call this man...dad?"

"Yes, I did. You don't know that he's my father?"

"H-how could I know??" I exclaimed with shock. "No wonder he knew that I had been away for so long!"

"Poor thing!" that man gave a slight laugh and patted my shoulder. "It seems that we've forgotten to introduce each other at that time. I'm Sawada Iemitsu."

"Iemitsu? Are you, by any chance...Basil and Sevastyan Golovanov's tutor? You must be the CEDEF's former external advisor."

"That would be me," Iemitsu replied. "And did you just mentioned Sevastyan? How did you know him?"

"Well, I-"

"Dad, I think Basil should explain the whole story. He's here too and he had something to ask you," Tsuna quickly interrupted. He probably did not want me to tell about Sevastyan's death at this time.

"Sure, I'll see him afterwards," Iemitsu replied and he turned to look at me. "Go on, she's been waiting for you. We can talk later if you want."

I nodded and I took some small steps towards the ward. Tsuna wanted to talk to his father, so I went ahead. My mother had finished her meal and when I stepped further in, she turned to look at me with a delightful smile on her face.

"[Name]! You're back!"

"Yes. It's me, mother..." I smiled back at her and I went straight to the side of her bed before hugging her tightly. She was much healthier than before.

"I've been dreaming that you will come home soon and looks like my wish had been granted."

"Same here. I miss mother so much..." I muffled as I grinned. "There are many things I want to tell."

My mother then gave a small push and she blinked when she saw the pale scar on my face. She was worried as she touched it softly.

"[Name], did you hurt yourself again? This scar is telling me something."

"No worries, mother. This is just a small thing. I've got worse than this."

"Ah, you mean when you've protected me that time? You silly girl..." she ruffled my hair. "I do want you to be safe, but please make sure that you won't get hurt like this again."

"...sorry, I'll try not to do it again."

"You do act a lot like your father," she sighed. "I keep telling him to be careful but he often coming home with more bandages. Now that he's..."

"I know that father is not going to like seeing mother crying," I grasped her hands. "Father knew he always made you worry, so he's waiting until the moment you can give him some scoldings."

"Well, I'm waiting for that day to come."

"Oh, there's someone I want you to meet."

While she was curious, I stood up and waited for Tsuna to come in. The brunet stepped in and he greeted my mother politely. Right after I told her that he was my official boyfriend, she gasped with surprise. 

She did not expect her tom-boyish daughter had finally found her soulmate. I decided to give my mother a chance to talk to Tsuna while I excused myself to buy some drinks.

I was glad that I could meet my mother, but I was not expecting the worst thing to come.

* * *

Tsuna was bringing me to walk around the Namimori district and at the same time, telling me about his life when he was a middle school student being tutored by Reborn. I listened and I could not believe that he was a useless person before he became the mafia boss. He later told me to wait for him while he went to another place to get something for the reunion dinner. I did wait and a cruel fate landed at me. 

Someone accidentally bumped into me and it was my former best friend, Masaaki Chika.

We knew each other since elementary school and she wanted to be my friend because she was lonely. I agreed and I had been protecting her whenever she was being bullied by other boys at our age. As soon as we entered middle school, she befriended with a rich girl named Takayuki Hanako. As I was Hanako's worst enemy, she tried to frame me for the stolen class fund. Chika never helped me and was at that b*tch's side, making me realised that Hanako had used her wealth to buy our friendship. A guy named Yoshiro stepped in and he had evidence that I did not steal the class fund. 

The case was solved but Chika refused to acknowledge me as her friend. I pretended that she never existed in my life until I left middle school.

Chika looked prettier as if she was working as a modelling agent and she took some time to recognise my face.

"Oh, my. Is that you, [Full Name]?" she gasped.

"Nice to meet you, Masaaki," I replied with my cold tone.

"You don't need to be so formal to me," she giggled lightly. "What happened to you? I thought you want to be a boy forever and now you're dressing up yourself as a girl? And what's with that ugly scar? Getting involved with a gang fight again?"

"I can be whoever I want, there's no need for your concern."

"Aw, you don't have to be so cold to me. I'm asking because I'm your friend-"

"Friend your arse!" I snapped. "You just want to mock a low-grade girl like me!"

"Goodness gracious, who's yelling there?"

Both of us turned around and a vivacious woman about my age came to us. She was wearing a bright green dress coat that matched her long leather boots and sunglasses covering her eyes. She was looking at me from head to toe and removing her sunglasses with her disgusted look. It felt like a queen staring at a filthy peasant. 

"Who in the world are you?"

"The one whom you're trying to frame for stealing the class fund," I simply answered.

"Oh my goodness!" Hanako laughed. "So, it's you, [Last Name]. Dear me, you dressed poorly than other girls around. Why is that? Getting bored acting like a boy?"

"What are you doing here? I thought you are staying at your large ass mansion and counting some cash you have."

"Don't you see?" Hanako spun herself once elegantly and gave her a proud smile. "I have a meeting with the tailors here to get some necessary items for my dress design. Oh, let me tell you. All my dresses are highly popular that even celebrities from other countries want to buy one for themselves."

"Hanako is now a high-class fashion designer. I'm surprised that you never heard of her success," Chika added with amusement.

"Do I give a f*ck about both of you?" I growled. "I'm busy with my work and I have no time reading these entertainment and gossip crap news."

"Oh really? Then why are you here? Trying to be lazy?" Hanako sneered.

"I'm here for a holiday break. Now please excuse me, I need to go somewhere else."

I tried to walk away from them when Chika grabbed my arm in sudden. I frowned at her and I did notice that she flinched a little.

"What do you want from me??"

"Hanako is organising a birthday party and everyone is invited, including you," she gave her smug look. "Since you're rarely around, you should be her guest of honour."

"Get off! I'm not going to that sh*t party!" I pulled my arm away from her.

"Come one, it's only for a while. Don't you want to know about Yoshiro? The guy who was proving that you did not steal the class fund? He's there too and I know you want to see him," Hanako explained.

"It's also a reunion party for all the former students of [School Name]. Why not join us?"

I kept on staring at them with great dislike but since I did not hear any news about Yoshiro for a long time, maybe it would be my chance to thank him for helping me from being accused as a thief. 

All I need was to greet and thanked him, then I would leave that party. I quickly called Tsuna and telling him that I would be attending my friend's reunion party for a while before coming back to his house.

"Fine. I'm only staying for one hour. Only, one hour."

"Sure. After that, you can leave to do whatever you want," Hanako chirped and she signalled her driver to come over and bring the three of us back to her mansion.

I did not know even why I agreed to join them. Most of my classmates were at this woman's side and I did not have any friends from my school. Chika was once my friend until she sided with Hanako. I called her the ultimate backstabber. I was wondering what would be everyone's reaction when they finally get to meet [Full Name], the girl who always messed up with boys at school.

I should have asked Bianchi to teach me some poison cooking.

* * *

** _Extra_ **

Basil and Iemitsu were having a secret meeting in the guest room. After hearing some news and unfortunate events happened in Italy and Russia, the former external advisor frowned with worry and guilt. He knew about the Morozov Family's news but he did not expect to receive news about Sevastyan's death.

"Did you give some reasonable compensation to the Golovanov family?" Iemitsu asked.

"Yes, Master," Basil answered. "They first refused and it took me some time to have them reconsider until they agree to accept it. I told them that Sevastyan had been a very loyal agent and spent his last minute to protect the children."

"Even so, this is still not fair for Sevastyan because Pyotr Morozov is yet to be caught. If Vindice could catch him fast."

"The Vindice are tracking him down after they arrested all of his subordinates and those who were involved with the production of his biological weapon."

"Good to hear that," Iemitsu sighed. "I've heard how much that girl had suffered when she was trying to finish up her deceased father's job. I'm relieved to hear that Tsuna will always be at her side whenever she needed the most. She doesn't have to worry about her mother since Nana, Kyoko and Haru are the ones to take care of her."

"She would be grateful for their help," Basil commented and he took out a very old folder from his clutch bag. "Master, I found this when I was arranging the archive drawer. It was one of the CEDEF's unsolved case that happened in the isolated village of the Netherlands."

Iemitsu took the old folder from Basil's hands and he started to read each of the documents. It was quite old, probably when he was still new in CEDEF. 

The documents explained the murder mystery of a group of potential surgeons, scientists and biologists. They were performing a secret project that would change human's life but before they could accomplish it, all of them were murdered in a gruesome way, to a point that their faces or their bodies could not be identified.

The former external advisor had a bad feeling when he read the documents. He felt like he had seen any of these people but he could not recall it. 

A photo dropped out from the folder and he picked it up. There was someone in the photo but it was smudged with an unknown substance, leaving only some words written on it. 

It was a child's handwriting but the sentences itself could tell that they were living in a rough life.

**_There is no such thing as love._ **


	36. Credit

Chika, Hanako and I were on the way back to her mansion where most of my former classmates and schoolmates gathered for her birthday celebration. I was being forced to join so that everyone had a good glimpse of me. We soon arrived and we got off from the car until one of Hanako's servant came over with her delighted look.

"Miss Hanako, the guests are here and they are waiting for your return."

"Great, let's get it started," Hanako smiled and passed all her belongings to Chika's arms. "Get all these things inside my room and pick one dress for me from my closet. I want a dress that can catch everyone's attention."

"Yes, Hanako," Chika replied and she hastily grabbed all the items before some of them fell on the ground. 

I stared back at her with my unbelievable look. She was treated like a servant more than a friend.

"Oh, [Last Name], be sure to come to the living hall. Everyone is waiting to see you again," said Hanako gleefully.

"They are waiting for you, not me," I said bluntly. "I'll go with Masaaki."

Hanako pursed her lips with dissatisfaction before she went inside her mansion. I followed Chika from behind and we walked to Hanako's large bedroom. She placed all the items on the bed and quickly went to the wardrobe to find a dress. I looked around the room and it was as big as Tsuna's study room, only that it was painted with soft pastel colours. 

A large portrait of Hanako with her convocation robe and mortarboard hat was hung on the wall. There were certificates as well and it was hard for me to believe that she would accomplish well.

Chika returned with two cocktail dresses in different colours. One was pink and the other one was yellow. Both of the dresses looked like it was worn by the princesses of the royal family- 

It was only a birthday party, for heaven's sake! How about wearing a frilly wedding dress if she wanted attention that much?? 

"[Name], I can't decide which looks better for Hanako-san," Chika complained as she stared at the two dresses. "She has hundreds or thousands of dresses to choose from and these are the only ones I find them attractive."

"Oh, God! Just pick one and get it done!" I sighed with irritation. "I don't understand why she needs all those dresses if she's not going to wear all of them."

"She's a high-class designer. She needs all those to meet her potential clients," Chika grinned. "So, which one is better?"

"...I don't know. You decide."

"I don't know either! It's so hard to decide which one fits Hanako-san better!"

"...Fine, yellow then. Pink is too girly for someone professional like her."

"Thanks!" Chika squealed and placing back the pink cocktail dress back to the wardrobe. "At least you have good taste in fashion. Not bad."

I gave an awkward laugh. I attended many mafia parties that I often see women with their high-class dresses and jewellery.

"Masaaki, what are you working as? It seems that you work for Takayuki."

She was silent for a moment while choosing some suitable necklace for Hanako. I waited for her reply and she finally spoke out.

"Hanako-san and I were studying in the same university and taking the same course together. I love to design so much that I put a lot of effort into my project. Well, she did better than I do and had been the top student. I lost to her and she offered me to become her assistant."

Chika went to the nearest bookshelf and took out a sketchbook. She flipped the pages and showed me one of the dress design. It was a dark blue lolita dress with Chinese style collar and a small belt attached to the waist part. 

I blinked with surprise because Chika was the one who drew it when we were still friends in middle school.

"Masaaki, this dress design..."

"This is Hanako-san's top achievement," she said while smiling. "This design was the reason why she passed her test successfully in the university. Isn't that great?"

"No, I mean this dress-"

"Whoever wears this dress will be so lucky. I wonder-"

"MASAAKI CHIKA!"

She froze with shock and stared back at me with horror. I had to shout to stop her from talking. I knew she was trying to avoid the topic and I would not let her do that.

"I'm not suffering from Alzheimer's disease, so I know who is the designer of that dress. It's not Takayuki Hanako," I explained with my stern tone and I pointed my finger at her. "It's you. You are the one who designed this dress back when we were still friends in middle school." 

"I-It's not important anyway..." Chika fidgeting nervously. "I mean...it's already over-"

"It's important to me."

"Important? You refused to be my friend after Hanako-san tried to frame you-"

"It's my favourite dress."

"Huh?"

"You know that I hate skirts but you said that you want me to be the first person to wear this dress designed by you. I waited until the day I will wear that dress you make for me."

Chika was dumbfounded after hearing my explanation. She stared at me and her eyes soon filled with tears. Her knees gave away and fell onto the floor. I knelt to check on her and she sobbed silently before she talked.

"[Name], I...I'm so...sorry..."

"What happened to you?"

"H-Hanako-san is jealous of me..." Chika continued to sob as she rubbed her wet eyes. "The lecturers praised me for my hard work...and my designs. Hanako-san...she was enraged. So, she stole that dress design...and claimed that...she did it all on her own....and later gets acknowledged that made her...become top class fashion designer..."

"So, she took all your design and your hard work?"

"N-not only me. She also...stole other designer's works and claimed it as hers. I've been at her side and I've seen how she did it..."

"Why can't you just tell her to stop? Or tell everyone about it?"

"She's damn rich and she uses her money to buy anything. Including our friendship. She can get a lawyer to win the case easily."

Chika continued to cry and she had been treated like a slave. I was worried that she would end up killing herself. I did not want her to do that foolish act. 

"[Name], I regretted being friends with her. As I suffered, I...I missed those time when you and I were friends. That's why...I wanted you to come here..."

She did want to be friends with me but I was the one who refused to be her friend. 

I hated backstabbers. After I left her, she had been suffering alone. This was the reason why I had been protecting her when we were middle school students.

"Chika, does Hanako sew all those dresses by herself?"

"N-no, she forced me to draw the dresses and sew all of them."

"I see, so she used you," I gave a dark smirk and Chika was frightened with my looks. "No worries, I will take back what it's truly yours."

"[Name], you're getting scarier than last time..." she shivered. "What happened to you all these years?"

"Oh, I'm fine," I just gave my innocent smile to her. "I'm doing just fine."

She would die of shock if I told her that I was dating with a mafia boss.

* * *

"You know the Hollywood actress named Rachel Brown? She loves all my dresses and she is planning to wear one of them for the upcoming movie awards."

Most of the former classmates and schoolmates were in awe after hearing Hanako's great achievements. Some famous designers were invited to celebrate her grand birthday. She was seen wearing a yellow cocktail dress and some gold accessories on her wrist and around her neck. 

She looked like a prized golden statuette I had seen in the movie awards.

"And do you know about the dress I made during my project presentation at my university? All the lecturers loved it so much and I am proud of my first ever creation-"

"Are you sure about it, Takayuki Hanako?"

All of the guests turned around to look at me in sudden and I was crossing my arms against my chest with Chika standing beside me. The guests started to whisper at each other, trying to figure out who I was. Hanako gave a smug look before she started to talk.

"Heyy, everyone! Do you still remember [Full Name]? The tomboy who always caused trouble in the school and refused to be a normal girl."

"Oh, that [Full Name]? Damn, it's been long!" said one of them.

"Wow, what's with that scar on your face? Getting into fights again??"

"What on earth are you wearing? Cross-breed of boy and girl's clothes??"

Most of them laughed profusely while Hanako laughed the loudest ("Oh my! I love your joke, Toshio!"). Chika was quite nervous as she tried to look at me. My face remained neutral and I was not affected with their insults. They soon stopped laughing and they were still looking at me.

"Where did we stop? Oh, yes," Hanako blinked. "Are you doubting about the dress I made for my university's project? Come on, it's my creation. I can have Chika to prove that it is my original design-"

"You don't need Chika to prove that you are the original creator," I replied coldly. "You just need to show it to everyone that you really did it."

"W-what are you talking about?" Hanako's smile twitched. "I've told you, it's my...design..."

"Alright. If that's what you say." 

I pulled out two automatic sewing machines for Hanako and Chika. 

"I want both of you to sew this dress. This is the only way to tell who is the original creator of this dress."

"M-me??" Chika flinched with shock. "B-but I-"

"Believe me, Chika," I smiled back to her. "If you did it, I want to wear that dress so that I can show it to my boyfriend."

She was confused before she started to work on sewing the dress. Hanako did not want to embarrass herself as she tried to do her best. 

Everyone was watching both of them and Hanako was the one complaining the most (needles pricked at her delicate fingers and the fabric got stuck in the machine). Chika did her work without a problem and had finally done with the dress. The designers came towards Chika's place and they were amazed at her neat work.

"Oh, my goodness. This dress is so neat, and perfect."

"Just like all of Miss Hanako's dresses- Wait, that means..."

"Yes, ladies and gentlemen," I announced. "Miss Masaaki Chika is the original creator of the dark blue lolita dress. And so do all the designs that Miss Takayuki Hanako stole from her."

One of the designers threw a disgusted look at Hanako.

"I originally planned to have you to design a wedding dress for the future queen of the United Kingdom, but it seems that I am wrong about you. Alas, you truly miss that great chance."

"N-no! You can't do this to me!" said Hanako with her shivering hands.

"Oh, yes I can. There's no way I will give this responsibility to a...liar." 

The designer glared at her and soon turned to look at Chika with his gentle look. 

"Miss Masaaki Chika, will you be the one to design the wedding dress for the future queen of the United Kingdom?"

"H-huh??" Chika's face turned darker red. "I-It's hard for me to accept this offer...and I-I don't feel like I deserve it-"

"Please do not say such things, young lady," another designer piped in with a wide smile on her face. "Your designs are beyond our imagination. You should be proud of it."

The designers wanted to talk with Chika and I suggested to them that they should have a private discussion in another room. They agreed and they moved to another room. 

"[Full Name]!! You destroyed my future!!" Hanako screamed at me with anger.

"Oh, did I? Should I say that you are the one destroying Chika's bright future?"

"I shouldn't have let you go with that stupid woman! That b*tch, she can't stop talking-!"

"Mind your language, woman," I glared coldly at Hanako. "No one ever talks to my friend like that."

"Oh, now you finally acknowledge her as your friend?! You should have done that earlier, b*tch! I have to be the one listening to all her ramble while crying! I have no time for that!"

"Why not? You solve every problem with money including friends. Now I know why you never have friends in the first place."

"Shut up, you poor sickening tomboy!! It's better if you just die right now!!"

Hanako took a wine bottle and tried to hit straight to my head. I noticed the danger and I used my arms to protect my head. 

Without warning, someone pulled me away and stopped Hanako from hitting my head.

Tsuna grabbed the wine bottle and crush it with his hand. The glass shattered on the floor and the guests were in shock as they remained speechless. Hanako's eyes widened with horror. He was giving his deadly look at her while pulling me close to him.

"If you dare to touch her, even a single strand of her hair, I will not hesitate to shoot you to death."


	37. Memories

Tsuna's presence and the moment he crushed the wine bottle were enough to silence everyone in the mansion's living hall. I was looking up at the brunet and he was still staring intently at Hanako who was trembling with fear. None of my former classmates or schoolmates even bothered to come over to help her.

"I've heard about you, Miss Takayuki Hanako," Tsuna started to talk. "Your father owns a fragrance house in Japan and his product is one of the best-selling perfume in the region of European countries. I highly doubt if anyone does not know his only daughter's bad behaviour."

"...H-how did you know about me? W-who are you??"

"Your father wanted to sell his perfume in the European countries including Italy. My brother is the one dealing with his business and most of the women loved the perfume he made. You wanted to collaborate with your father to promote your dress designs alongside with his product but I guess you missed that great chance after my girlfriend exposed the whole truth."

The guests gasped with shock when Tsuna suddenly introduced me to them. Their eyes darted to me and they were giving their unbelievable look.

"[Name], you're saying that this man...is your boyfriend??"

"Seriously?? You're already in love with someone??"

"Why we didn't know about it? You should have told us!"

"I..." my face turned red and I was still standing close to Tsuna. "Why would I want to tell you that I have a boyfriend? You were at her side all the time."

"No, we're not!" some of their smiles twitched nervously. "We're only invited as a friend."

"Why all of you acting strangely?"

"Because your boyfriend is the CEO of a famous business company in Italy."

I heard a new voice behind me and I turned around to see a spiky black haired guy wearing a black suit with a loosened necktie. He was leaning against the door and giving his unamused look.

"Yoshiro, is that you?"

"It's been long, [Last Name]," Yoshiro simply replied. "You're still the same as last time."

"The same thing goes for you. Where have you been for these past few years? You suddenly disappeared after I entered high school," I asked curiously.

"I quit high school, that's all."

"You quit?"

"Yeah, I did. I passed my entrance test but I did not bother to continue studying, so I quit. I'm now working for an organisation in this district."

"I get it," Tsuna smiled. "I think I know who are you working for."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked curiously.

"I'll tell later. Is it time for us to leave, [Name]?"

I was looking at the brunet and I nodded. 

I did thank Yoshiro for helping me that time and he mentioned that he needed to do something rather than letting Hanako framing me as a thief. 

I was almost leaving the mansion when Chika came to me with a hurry. She was crying but happy at the same time for bringing back what truly belongs to her. I told her that I did it for a friend and I later introduced Tsuna to her. She introduced herself too and she soon promised that she would make a better version of the lolita dress before giving it to me. I was grateful and I gave Haru's phone number to her. I suggested that she should collaborate with Haru if she needed more help.

We were outside the mansion when I took his hand to check for any wounds after crushing the wine bottle. There were some cuts at his palm and I sighed.

"Do you have to do this?" 

"I'm protecting you, that's why."

"But, not at the point of hurting yourself."

"These cuts are nothing. You don't need to worry about it."

"Can't I just worry like how you got worried over my serious injuries?"

Tsuna went silent and he let me wrap his hand with a white cloth. I guessed this was how I felt when he was injured. I slowly learnt about my mother's worries when she saw my injuries after fighting with someone else.

"I talked to your mother, [Name]. She's really nice. As nice as my mother," the brunet explained. "Right after your father's death, she raised you all on her own. You made a word with your mother that you would protect her from the bad people. You did but you always return home with bruises. She was worried but you were clueless about her feelings. Your actions made her think of her deceased husband."

"Did my mother say that...about me?" my voice went dry. "I thought she said that she's fine with whatever I am doing as long as I stay alive."

"If I were your mother, would I be glad to see you alive with missing limbs or any part of your body?"

His words suddenly pierced my heart and I began to feel guilty. The scar on my face was already an answer to her worry. She was glad to see me alive but I realised that she could not be happy to see more of my injuries. 

This was also Tsuna's feeling when I was seriously injured in Russia. I ignored their hidden feelings.

"I...I'm sorry..."

"You finally learnt your lesson?"

I nodded repeatedly and I kept on wiping my eyes that were filled with tears. Tsuna pulled me into a tight embrace and touched my hair softly before he kissed my forehead. I was still sobbing and I buried my face at his chest.

"You're forgiven, [Name]. Just don't hurt yourself ever again unless if it is inflicted on you."

"...I'll try-"

"No trying. You need to make sure you won't do it again."

"...Right...I won't do it again."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"Tsuna, will you accompany me to see my mother...tomorrow?"

"Yes, I will, [Name]."

The next day, I was going to the hospital with Tsuna and I was talking with my mother, apologising to her for my ignorance. I told my mother that I would not hurt myself again as what my deceased father did. My mother was glad that I learnt my lesson and telling me to treasure someone kind like Tsuna. 

My cheeks grew redder as I knew what she meant. Was she giving a blessing to me and Tsuna?

Speaking about Yoshiro, Tsuna told me that he had been working with the Foundation three years ago. It was revealed that his father owned a biotechnology firm and Yoshiro had the right to inherit his family's business. He was unaware of the changes and his name had been removed from his father's will. Enraged with his father's action, Yoshiro left his home and was hired by Hibari for his wide knowledge of advanced biotechnology.

Since he was working for the Foundation, he knew Tsuna was the mafia boss. He was not allowed to tell everyone about the brunet's real position.

* * *

We had another two days to spend before we return to Italy. Coincidentally, the summer festival was held at the Namimori shrine and it was crowded with many people. 

Haru decided to make some yukata for those who never owned one. Natalia was delighted as she always wanted to wear the yukata if she ever had a holiday in Japan. Dino told her that she looked cute and pretty with the yukata she was wearing and his subordinate were agreeing with him.

When we walked around the shrine, Tsuna noticed that some of the students from Namimori Middle school were seen selling their product to collect some money. Yamamoto snickered and saying that they were selling choco-bananas to get more money to pay the damage they had done in the public swimming pool. 

"How about not telling more stories about that," Tsuna muttered quietly and looked embarrassed.

"Why not? We're reminiscing about our years as a teenager here," Yamamoto grinned.

"I'd rather not remembering something stupid from ten years ago," Gokudera muttered as well.

"Ah, I remember," Lambo sneered. "You taught that young Vongola to swim by using that weird machine of yours. You nearly electroeluted him to death when that thing goes wrong."

"Stop reminding me of that memory, you stupid cow!" the silver-haired snapped. "Who was the one screaming hysterically after being chased by that tame dolphin??"

"Tame? That thing was a wild shark!" Lambo shrieked.

"Or more like, dolphin with shark's teeth," Tsuna shook his head. "A little child would have been frightened to see that kind of hybrid."

"Well, what do you know?" Ryohei started to talk. "I did teach Sawada how to swim and I'm telling you that my technique was extremely the best compared to all of you!"

"The whole world would be laughing at you, turf head! Who the hell wanted to swim like a dying lizard in the water?!"

"Hey, at least I'm not that bad!" Haru piped in with her dissatisfied look.

"No one swims with that tuna fish costume, or teaching someone with strange instructions-"

"You're talking about me?" the Rain Guardian asked.

I was listening to all of them and all of a sudden, I burst out laughing. They stopped talking and they turned to look at me. Tsuna's ears went completely red and he was ashamed of his past life. It took me a while to stop laughing after feeling the slight sore at my jaw and I wiped off some tears from my eyes.

"You have good memories of spending your time together as friends," I spoke out as I was still grinning at them. "That explains how close your bonds are...unlike me."

"Ayano, you don't have to be sad," said Haru with concern.

"I'm not sad," I took another deep breath to calm myself down. "I never had friends in my life. I only started to have some ever since I started to work with the Vongola. You see, I never had those happy memories like all of you. All of you knew each other ten years ago. In the same school, the same district and the same experience."

The only noises we heard were the excited people and the sellers promoting their products and their mini-games. 

"Who said you never had one?"

"Huh?" I turned to look at Gokudera.

"Does it matter if you don't have happy memories from the past? You already have some of it."

"Yeah, Gokudera is right!" Haru replied. "You are already creating some happy memories for yourself. Think about it. We spent our tea time with Kyoko, Chrome and others."

"It can be anything," Yamamoto added. "We have a marathon competition with senior Ryohei just to train your stamina. I think that's a pretty good memory."

"I have to admit. I prefer to teach you the Italian language than teaching that stupid cow," Gokudera explained.

"Did I forget to mention that my Aunt Octavia loves your baked cookies? I am looking forward to having you teach me how to bake them," said Lambo brightly.

"And let's not forget that we celebrated your birthday last year. It was fun," Dino joined us with a smile on his face. "Whatever we say, it should be the happy memories you've created with all of us."

Tsuna grabbed my hand and I was looking at him. The warmth looks at his eyes telling me that he agreed with their opinion.

"We did spend some time together. With our friends and only both of us. I do have unforgettable memories that I shared with my fellow friends. I want to treasure all of them including my new memories with you."

"Your new memories...with me?"

"You're not telling me that skating on the ice is not a happy memory to you?"

"I didn't say that! I...I treasure every single of the time I spend with you and my friends. I don't want to forget that."

"That's good to hear," Tsuna smiled and he pulled my hand. He told his friends to follow him as he was bringing me up to the hill. "The firework show is going to start soon. We can't miss this chance."

"S-slow down a bit! I'm wearing wooden sandals here!"

The brunet laughed lightly and he did slow down so that I could catch up with him. Kyoko and others were already on the hill and most of us gathered around together to watch the colourful fireworks in the night sky. More people were joining but they sat somewhere lower from our level. I looked around us and I did see how happy they were. Some were sitting in groups or as a family.

I was still staring at those fireworks and I leaned my head against Tsuna's shoulder. He noticed it and he placed his hand on my shoulder, bringing me closer to him.

"I watched the fireworks with my friends ten years ago. This time, I can get to watch it again with them and someone special to me."

I smiled as I listened to his words. This was my first time watching the fireworks with my new friends and someone I love.


	38. Song

Another few months had passed since my last visit to Japan. More workloads for me and lots of important missions for the Vongola guardians. I spent most of my time accompanying Tsuna each of his meetings and it was the only time we were often together. We hardly had free time for both of us and more people kept on asking about our possible marriage.

The more they asked, the more insecurity feelings built inside my heart.

As Tsuna was the most powerful mafia boss in the world, everyone wanted to see his supposed future wife. His high position attracted many women and they were taking this opportunity to hook up with him despite that they knew he had a girlfriend. 

"I told you that Decimo is popular among women and if you did not do anything, he's going to stick up with someone else." 

Pietro and I were talking through the phone call because he wanted to know my condition after the incident in Russia.

"Are you expecting me to tell him to marry me?"

"Why not?"

"Excuse me? Since when the girls start their move before the boys do?"

"You can always change the rules," the Snow Arcobaleno laughed. "Girls nowadays did pressure their boyfriends to propose them."

"I'm not that kind of girl! The one who gives pressure the most are the parents because they want grandchildren!"

"Well, both of you deserve this kind of pressure because the Vongola needs a new heir. You see, Vongola Nono's sons were dead and his adoptive son is not eligible to be the Vongola boss. The only one with the Vongola bloodline is your boyfriend as he is Vongola Primo's direct descendant. He needs to consider getting a new heir or else there will be no hope for the world's strongest mafia family."

"Pietro, that sounds like a threat."

"This is the way I speak, Segretario Minoru." 

"Great, at least you're not as bad as your twin brother," I replied blankly. "I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Are you the one trying to save my life when I almost died in Russia?"

"Why would you think of that?"

"You told me that someone who got shot with your Snow Dream bullet will not die but they were put to sleep for temporary. With the snow element, they will experience a dream that they either want or not want to see. I can see Snow Flames around and I had a nightmare. Where you at there to shoot me with your bullet?"

"No, I'm staying at my headquarters."

"What did you do to me-"

"I gave my bullet to Decimo before he went to Russia with that former Sun Arcobaleno. In case if anything bad happened to you. Decimo knew my bullet's function but he could not shoot it to you, so Reborn did it instead."

"Why would you do that?"

"I owe him for protecting my life. I did see him crying when you went unconscious. I assume that you are an important person to him."

I knew Tsuna was screaming in distress and I never knew he was crying. No wonder he was worried when I was injured and he feared that I would leave him. 

If Pietro did not tell me, I would not know that I was one of Tsuna's most important person in his life.

* * *

Tsuna and I took the train back to the headquarters since we were done with the meeting at another district of Sicily. He was planning to drive to the meeting but the traffic was heavier at peak hours and we did not want to be late. 

Both of us were discussing and it was about the meeting with the mafia family who wanted to make an alliance with the Vongola. He later took out his phone to call Gokudera while I was arranging the documents from my briefcase. 

I soon noticed a group of young women were staring at Tsuna with their flirty look. They whispered excitedly each time the brunet glanced at them for a few seconds while talking on his phone. I grew annoyed with their behaviour and I had to stay calm. I was ready to explode with anger when I heard them talking sh*t about me. Tsuna reached out for my hand and grasped it, making me flinched with surprise. He was trying to tell me that I should not do anything. 

"You hear what they say about you?" Tsuna asked right after he ended his call.

"...I think. The same as what everyone would say about me." I replied.

"I have a way to make them shut up."

"You're not going to burn them, right?"

"I'm not going to burn them," Tsuna chuckled. "Although, that is my real intention."

The brunet tilted his head and he placed his lips on mine. I immediately blushed with embarrassment and I tried pushing him away. He did not budge and he pulled me closer to deepen the kiss. Those women's eyes were widened with shock. They turned away and they would not dare to look at us. He smirked and broke the kiss, leaving me gasping for air to breathe.

"How is that? Do you love it?" he whispered.

"C-can't you j-just..." I muttered nervously and my heart was beating faster than usual. "...think of b-better way to...to do it?"

"Better way? This is the better way to make them silent," his lips curved into a grin. "Or maybe you want that-"

"Not that!" I suddenly shouted and I quickly covered my reddened face. "I...I mean, you suddenly kissed me...in the p-public..."

"It's common for the couples to do it in the public."

"...Did Reborn or Dino teach you to do that?"

He was about to reply when the train arrived at the main station. We grabbed our belongings and stepped out from the train. We were in the city and the brunet mentioned that Gokudera would be coming to fetch us back to the headquarters. 

I was looking at my watch to see the time and I noticed someone with a hooded jacket leaving the hospital. For someone who wore that kind of jacket in hot weather, that was quite suspicious. 

"Tsuna," I whispered while looking back at the hooded stranger. "Could you please look at that person with a hooded jacket?"

He did look back at the stranger and he felt nothing for first. Seconds later, he furrowed his eyebrows as he sensed something was wrong about that hooded stranger.

"Ayano, where did that guy come from?"

"From the hospital," I answered. "Is it strange for someone to wear a jacket in this hot weather? Unless if he's sick-"

"No, this is not right," Tsuna passed his coat to me with hurry. "I'll follow that guy. You need to go to the hospital and check around if there's anything suspicious. If Hayato is here, bring him along with you."

"W-wait! Are you sure it's alright for you to chase that guy?"

"I'm going to be fine," Tsuna smiled back at me. "I'll come back when I'm done."

He ran off to chase the hooded stranger while I walked to the hospital to check around. It would be more suspicious if I walked around for nothing and the security would chase me out. I was standing nearby the reception counter and I saw Romario talking to one of the nurses. He was visiting someone and I went to greet him.

"Ciao, Romario."

"Ah, good evening, Segretario Minoru," Romario greeted.

"Are you visiting someone?"

"Yes, I am. Well, it's my boss's orders to see Natalia's condition."

"Natalia? What happened to her"

"She's sick for almost a week and she refused to see any doctors, claiming that she wanted to finish up all her work. Boss heard about it and it took him a lot of time to convince her to get some treatment. I admit that she can be a little stubborn."

"I see. May I come with you? I think it's been long since the last time I talked to her."

"Sure. She'll be happy to see you."

I followed Romario to Natalia's ward while I was looking around the hospital area. He would be wondering why I was acting as if someone was about to ambush both of us. We were at Natalia's ward when she came out with her pale horrified face. Both of us were shocked to see her expression as Romario tried to calm her down to know what was happening.

"Natalia, what's wrong? Are you still not feeling well?"

"R...Romario..." Natalia's stutter was worse than before. "D-do you k-know about that...t-that little girl...who s-shared the w-ward with me...?"

"Yes, I do. What happened to the little girl?" Romario asked with worry.

"S-she...starting to...to act s-strangely. S-she...humming out a song that I n-never heard b-before..." Natalia replied. "And...it n-not...a h-happy song e-either..."

"How do you know that it's not a happy song?" I asked again.

"I-I asked her...w-who taught her to s-sing that song. And she told me...a s-stranger taught her h-how to sing..." she took a deep breath to calm down. "I-I even wrote d-down those words s-she sang out..."

Natalia held out a piece of paper and I took it from her to read each of the words. 

_I was born in a cruel world, the opposite of what I expected  
_ _I get nothing but mere despair and false hopes  
_ _I shall leave and free myself from this locked cage  
_ _For there is no such thing as love_

I was feeling uncomfortable as I read these words. A child who suddenly sang a dark-themed song. Who the hell was the stranger and why would they teach her to sing this song?

"Natalia, where's that little girl?"

"S...she's not at h-her bed...she's g-gone...." Natalia gave her a panicked look. "I...I need t-to find her!"

"Hold on a second! You're still recovering, Natalia!" Romario spoke out quickly.

"I can't wait! What if she did something foolish?!" she yelled and ran away to another area. 

Romario had to chase her as fast as possible. I was about to follow when the silver-haired called out for me.

"M...Minoru!" Gokudera came to me with his tired look. "I've been looking for you, where the hell are you going??"

"Sorry, but this is an emergency!" I replied quickly. "You need to go and find Tsuna fast. He's heading at the junction following a stranger wearing a hooded jacket. I'm worried if...if anything bad happen to him."

"...I get it. I'll find Tenth as fast as I can. What about you?"

"I have something to do. I'll tell you later. Hurry up and find him!"

Gokudera nodded and head out from the hospital while I ran to look for Natalia and Romario. I managed to find them at the rooftop area and I saw Natalia slowly approaching a little girl who was standing nearby the rusty fence. The girl was still humming that depressing song. Romario had to stay back to avoid any possible things that might happen.

"What is Natalia doing?"

"She's trying to talk to her. I heard that the girl recently lost her parents in the car crash and no one ever talked about it as they feared that the news might stir her fragile emotion." 

"The stranger might have told her about her dead parents."

"I fear for the worst, so I have to call Boss to come over."

"What? Dino is coming here??"

The door behind us was slammed open and Don Cavallone appeared with his worried expression. When he saw Natalia's dangerous position with the little girl, he was alarmed and he wanted to run and grabbed her. Romario and I had to hold him back as he was struggling to free himself.

"What the hell are you doing?! Don't you see where Natalia is?!" Dino yelled with fury.

"Boss, please calm down!" Romario quickly replied. "She's trying to talk to that girl to avoid any suicide attempt!"

"I'm not letting that to happen! That rusty fence is not going to save both of them!"

"She's going to be fine-"

"I do not want to lose my only family member, Romario!!"

I was out of my mind when I slapped across his face. Romario froze with shock and Dino had stopped struggling. He was in shock as well after what I had done to him. I would be dead for slapping him but it was the only way to stop him from causing more trouble.

I hoped that Gokudera could find Tsuna quickly. What if the hooded stranger he was chasing was also the one who taught the little girl to sing that dark song?

* * *

**_Extra_ **

Arianna was cleaning her office alone and she was throwing away the things she no longer needed. Most of them were the gifts from her ex-husband and some photos when both of them were happily married. She did not hesitate to throw anything that would bring dark memories in her life. 

She soon found an old photo of her ancestor and she noticed that he had the same look as she was. She pursed her lips tightly and she was clenching her fists. 

Aside from her grandaunt, she had no one to talk to. She lost her parents when she was young. She secretly wished that her ancestor was around to give her some comfort after Pyotr Morozov destroyed half of her life.

She placed the photo on her desk and she was looking at the letters she received from her assistant. Only one of them was handwritten and it was from her ex-husband. 

_Arianna,  
  
I know that you will not forgive me what I have done to you. I indeed hate children and I forced you to abort the baby you were carrying. When you would not do it, I physically abused you until you suffered a miscarriage that almost took your life.   
  
I killed our child. They had been haunting me when I was trying to sleep. I could not be forgiven.  
  
I'm writing this letter to you for a reason. You see, I am the Vindice's most wanted criminal and I have nowhere to hide. I did not expect you to help me hide from them but I was caught by an enemy and he tried to kill me.  
  
This enemy is planning to overthrow the Vongola and he may be the worst compared to me. I managed to escape from him and I have some information about him. This information might help you and the Vongola to defeat him before he could destroy the world.   
  
He is now the biggest threat and if nothing is done, no one can stop him.   
  
I will be waiting for you at the motel. Here is the address and you will find me there. The safety of the world is up to you.   
  
Pyotr Morozov_

She wanted to throw the letter away from the start until Pyotr mentioned about the enemy that might overthrow the Vongola and took over the whole world. Some blood was on the letter and she started to believe that the enemy might hurt him while he was escaping. 

Arianna took out her phone and she was typing a message to someone before she left her office to meet Pyotr Morozov.

_[Recipient: Hibari Kyoya]_   
  
_[Text]: Someone is planning to overthrow the Vongola. They will be the worst enemy you might face._


	39. Voice

"I...I'm sorry for slapping you, but I have to do that to make you calm down. Natalia is trying her best to convince that little girl not to kill herself. You need to trust her."

Don Cavallone was staring at me as if he had received shocking news and he looked back at Natalia who was seen talking to the girl near the rusty fence. He managed to stay calm and he was still looking at his cousin intently. He was ready to save her if anything went wrong.

"H-hey, Diana," Natalia smiled while slowly approaching the little girl. "You know that y-you shouldn't be s-sitting there. It's d-dangerous."

"Why not? No one will ever love me anyway," the girl named Diana replied with her creepy tone.

"N-no, everyone loves you. You j-just overlook the truth."

"Then why my parents leave me? Why no one ever told me about my parents? Why is everyone hiding everything from me?"

"W-well, your parents wanted to p-protect you and they were h-hoping that you'll continue living," Natalia explained. "A-and your relatives didn't t-tell you because...they care about you. T-they didn't want to m-make you sadder since you're too young t-to accept t-this tragic news."

"How do you know that?" Diana was glaring at her. "It's not like you know anything about love."

Natalia was looking at the girl and as she continued to smile. She went near to the rusty fence and sat beside Diana. Dino and Romario were horrified but they could not do anything until she managed to save that girl. I felt the same way as they were but I need to believe that she could do it.

"I l-lost my p-parents too. Unlike your situation, I saw h-how they died. Bad people killed b-both of them in f-front of my e-eyes. T-they don't care if I'm a l-little girl or not. T-they just wanted to get it d-done. M-my parents loved me. That's why, they got themselves k-killed to p-protect m-me."

"You lost your parents too?" Diana asked curiously and Natalia nodded her head.

"I was later brought into m-my cousin's house...and everyone t-treated me like a f-family. I was still t-traumatic and that incident caused me to stutter every single t-time I talk. Because of my severe trauma, I was u-unaware of how e-everyone treated me k-kindly."

"Am I going to end up like you?"

"No, you won't," Natalia chuckled. "You're a strong little g-girl. I know you can o-overcome this hard time. I took a l-long time to recover...and I can't continue to be s-sad...because they are people waiting for m-me. The same thing goes to y-you. They are p-people care about you, so don't just l-leave them like that."

Diana was staring blankly at Natalia. Seconds later, the girl blinked her eyes several times and collapsed beside Natalia. The three of us quickly went to both of them as Romario and I checked on the little girl. Dino pulled his cousin into a tight hug and he nearly cried, fearing that he was about to lose her.

"Oh God! Natalia, thank goodness you're safe!"

"S-sorry...I'm sorry-"

"No, it's fine. Just don't worry me like that ever again."

Natalia nodded and she was still hugging him tightly. Romario and I decided to ask Diana some questions but she said she could not remember what she had done. She only knew that a hooded stranger was talking to her before teaching her to sing the dark song. 

She mentioned it was a young man with blonde hair, though it was not as bright as Dino and Natalia's blond hair.

I excused myself and I leave the hospital to look for Gokudera and Tsuna. It had been long I did not receive any news from them and I feared that the hooded stranger might hurt them. I went to that same street junction and both of them were nowhere to be found. I kept running around the place and their whereabouts were still unknown.

I gripped Tsuna's coat tightly and I tried not to think anything bad. He should be safe. He made a word that he would be fine. He could not have been defeated by the hooded stranger.

"Worried about your boyfriend, Minoru Ayano?"

I did hear Tsuna's voice and when I turned around, it felt like my heart turned into ice.

The hooded stranger was standing far away from me and he was slowly approaching me. I was ready to fight when he spoke again.

"No use fighting against me. You can't defeat me."

I was confused. Why the stranger's voice was the same as Tsuna's voice?

"Who are you? And why would you do that to the little girl?"

"I didn't do anything. I'm helping her. To prove that there is no such thing as love."

"That's not helping her at all!" I snapped with anger. "You wanted her to commit suicide after singing your terrible song!"

"Terrible song? I don't find it unpleasant to hear since I am the one who created it. Many people I approached to had been singing this song with me and they started to like it."

"At the end, they died," I replied.

"Because they know something they wanted does not exist at all."

I wanted him to stop talking. The more he talked, the more I thought he was Tsuna. 

The brunet I knew would not say something depressing. 

I did not realise that he was already standing in front of me and I immediately try to punch his face. He was quick as he grabbed my wrist, much to my shock. I could not move my wrist away because of his strong grip.

"Didn't I say you can't defeat me?"

He slowly clenched his hand and he tried breaking the bones inside my wrist. I gasped with pain and he pushed me to the wall with a loud thud. I could not escape from him and I almost screamed when he tried crushing my wrist.

"You don't need to scream. It's just a small pain," he whispered and he went near my ear. "Rather than screaming, how about singing along with me, Ayano?"

"N-no...no way..." I whimpered.

"You will love it. Just follow my voice, Ayano."

When he started to sing, I quickly shook my head. He held my chin to stop me from shaking my head and forced me to listen to him. 

Tsuna's singing voice was beautiful. It was soothing to hear his voice. I wanted him to continue singing so that I could-

No! He was not Tsuna! He happened to have the same voice as the brunet! I could not stand this torture or I might end up like Diana!

I heard a roar behind him and the hooded stranger quickly released my wrist. I fell onto the ground and I could see a small lion cub with Sky Flame standing in front of me. The lion cub was growling fiercely at the hooded stranger and it was protecting me.

"So, he's here. Looks like I need to leave for today."

I wanted to chase him but he disappeared from the thin air. My mind was quite unstable and the sky lion was staring back at me with worry. I smiled weakly and I gently touched its head with my other hand.

"Thank you, little one...for protecting me."

The sound of footsteps was coming and I saw two people coming towards me. I looked up and Tsuna looked like he was involved in a fight with someone else. Gokudera followed him from behind and they knelt to check my condition.

"T...Tsuna, are you alright?" I asked with worry.

"I'm fine. More importantly," the brunet took my injured wrist. "Did that stranger hurt you?"

"H...how did you know that?"

"We have been fighting against that b*st*rd. I hate to admit but he's strong and fast," Gokudera explained with his dissatisfied look. "We could not get to see how he looks like since he's covering his whole head with his jacket hood."

"I nearly get to defeat him when he suddenly mentioned your alias name," added Tsuna. "I was distracted with his trick and he disappeared. I feared that he would hunt you down, so I summoned Natsu to find you before he did."

"Natsu?" I blinked and I stared back at the sky lion cub. "You mean, this Natsu?"

"Oh, you haven't met him," Tsuna touched its head. "He's my good partner. Natsu, say hello to [Name]."

The sky lion cub roared at me ("Gaoo!") and jumped on my lap. Natsu was sniffing at my injured wrist before licking it. It was trying to heal my wrist and I noticed that Natsu acted the same like its master. I giggled and I went on to hug the lion cub. 

Thanks to Natsu, my mind was finally at ease after the hooded stranger tried to hurt and corrupt my mind.

We decided to meet Dino and Romario again at the hospital and we talked about the hooded stranger. Natalia and Diana were asleep after the doctors treated both of them and they also tend my wrist. 

"Diana explained that the stranger was talking to her and later teaching her to sing the mysterious song. She did not remember what she did after she sang it," Romario explained as he handed the paper to Gokudera. 

"I was born in a cruel world, the total opposite of what I expected. I get nothing but mere despair and false hopes. I shall leave and free myself from this locked cage. For there is no such thing as love," Gokudera read it out loud and he was frowning, analysing each of the words. "This songwriter sounds like he has a mental disorder."

"I don't know about that but he said that he was the one who wrote it. Anyone who sings this song will try ending their life," I explained.

"Is it some sort like a hypnotise? Or mind control?" Dino added with confusion.

"We need to ask Mukuro about this problem. The only thing we need to know is the real identity of that stranger," Gokudera turned to look at me. "Minoru, you're the only person who could see his face. That girl was too exhausted to be interrogated."

"To be honest, I can't see his face. Except that he has golden blond hair. And, he has the same voice as Tsuna."

The brunet's fists tightened after hearing my answer. Dino and Romario exchanged their looks and they were unable to accept it.

"Ayano, I think you might mistake him for Tsuna," Dino spoke out. "I mean, how could that stranger has the same voice as my brother does?"

"We heard it too," Gokudera answered and he hated to admit it. "The Tenth and I heard his voice when we fought against him."

"I'm afraid Ayano is right. The hooded stranger has the same voice as I am."

* * *

**_ Extra _ **

Basil was checking the file that he showed to Iemitsu months ago. He was curious about the unsolved murder case in the isolated village of the Netherlands and the murderer was yet to be caught. He heard a knock at his office door and Lal Mirch came in with a small parcel in her hands.

"Aren't you supposed to be resting?" Lal Mirch asked with her usual stern tone.

"Just give me some time, then I'll be resting," Basil smiled back at her. "Shouldn't you be at home accompanying your dearest husband?"

"There's no need for you to worry about me and that brat," she answered quickly and passed the small parcel to him. "Iemitsu wants you to see this. He says it's important."

Right after she passed the parcel to Basil, she left the office without saying anything. His curiosity grew as he unwrapped the parcel carefully. There was a small memory card of the video camera and it was quite old. He inserted it into a card reader and there was only one video file displayed on his computer. 

Basil opened the video folder and he started to watch it. The video was recorded twenty years ago and there was a woman with black bob hairstyle. She was seen smiling at the camera though it was more a smirk than a normal smile.

_"Hey, big brother! How are you at there? I hope you're doing fine with your beloved wife and your precious son of yours. What is his name again? I forgot."_

She blinked her eyes hard to think and suddenly laughed.

_"Oh, I remembered. Tsunayoshi-kun, right? I would love to come over and see how cute is your son but I am currently busy with my life. Do you remember what I've told you and father last time? I don't need any men's help to have a child of my own and guess what? I did it!"_

Basil's eyebrow twitched with annoyance and he grew uneasy with this woman's statement.

_"You want to see my child, right? Alright, I'll call him out."_

The camera was seen moving in another direction where it was showing a little boy with blond hair. He was peeking from his room and no matter how many times the woman called out for him, the boy refused to come out and shut the door with a loud slam.

 _"Damn it, there goes his f*cking attitude."_

The woman snapped and she was looking back at the camera. 

_"Well, you've seen him, right? Once I teach him a lesson, I will have him talk to you next time. Alright, I'm off now!"_

The video ended with a loud buzz and there was a letter slipped out from the parcel package. Basil took the letter and he read it. He could not believe what he had seen and he was about to uncover the hidden truth.

_Basil;_

_The woman in the video is my adopted sister named Sawada Naohime. If you want to know more about her and that child she had, you can find her in the asylum in Spain._

_Remember, you must not go alone. Bring someone else with you._

_Sawada Iemitsu_


	40. Naohime

The hooded stranger who shared the same voice with Vongola Decimo. 

If anyone heard about it, this would be the most scandalous news for all the mafia members to hear. The hooded stranger would become the biggest threat to the mafia world after Pyotr Morozov. 

Tsuna admitted that it was true but he had no idea how it was happening.

"Boss, maybe that stranger had a device that could copy Don Vongola's voice. He's probably doing it to frame him for the things he had never done," said Romario.

"I'm thinking about the same thing. Since he's wearing the hooded jacket, he can hide that device easily," Dino replied.

"He's not stupid to do that," Gokudera interrupted. "He's probably a genius like Belphegor. Not forget to mention about his fighting skills. He can read each of our movements when the Tenth and I fought with him. My dynamites could not reach him, but Tenth managed to give him a strong punch."

"What if that stranger was...Tsuna's long lost sibling?"

All of them turned to look at me with their bewildered look. Tsuna remained quiet for a while and he sighed. He was tired to think of any possibilities to solve the mystery. 

"I don't have any brothers or sisters in my whole life. Not even cousins. The only family I have are my parents. Though I did hear my mother muttered about my father always arguing with another woman. I assumed that she must be my aunt."

"You have an aunt?" Dino exclaimed. "Why I didn't know about it?"

"I've never met her before and my father never allowed her to see me," Tsuna explained. "He said that she's insane and rather marrying with her beloved career. My mother and I had forgotten about her existence ever since my father went abroad to work with the Vongola. Besides, she's just my father's adoptive sister."

"Tenth, maybe that stranger was your aunt's child?"

"I'm not sure either. This is getting more complicated than I thought."

Don Cavallone noticed the brunet's tiredness. He clapped his hands once and stood up from the bench before he stared at me, Tsuna and Gokudera.

"It's getting late now, so I'm suggesting that the three of you should stay at my headquarters for today. I can't risk the three of you to return home at this hour with that stranger still around somewhere."

"Thanks, Dino," Tsuna smiled at him. "We appreciated it."

"No problem. I'll have Romario to take care of Natalia and Diana. Just take more rest before we can continue to discuss this issue."

It only took us fifteen minutes to reach the Cavallone Famiglia's headquarters. The subordinates treated us like an important guest and some of them leading Tsuna and Gokudera to the guest rooms. Dino meanwhile suggested that I should sleep in Natalia's room as she was still in the hospital. 

I could understand since he rarely had any female guests to stay overnight at his headquarters.

I placed my briefcase beside the bed and I looked around the room. Natalia's room was as large as a royal princess's room and I saw most of them were bookshelves filled with encyclopedias, history about mafia and her general interests. There were stacks of paperwork, laptops and telephones on her large desk. There were some sticky notes pasted on her diary and I laughed at what she wrote.

_**Have Ivan and Bono to wash all the cars as a punishment for bullying a kid** _

**_Remind me to buy some macarons or Dino will cry during his tea-break_ **

Both of them were close despite being cousins and I was feeling uneasy when I thought of Tsuna's possible cousin.

What was that stranger's real motive?

* * *

Tsuna was feeling energetic after a long rest and he decided to talk to his father via video call with my tablet. Gokudera, Dino and I were with him in a study room so that we could hear the whole story together. The brunet was waiting until his father finally picked up his incoming video call.

_"Oh, it's you, Tsuna. It's night here, why are you calling me at this hour?"_

"There is something I want to ask, dad," Tsuna replied. "First of all, where's mom?"

_"She's taking care of Ayano's mother at the hospital with Kyoko's help."_

"Ah, Iemitsu-san!" I suddenly asked. "Is my mother alright?"

_"You're here too? Haha, you should have said something! She's doing fine, so you don't have to worry."_

"I...I see. Thanks," I slowly backed away. "I'm so sorry for my rudeness."

"No, I'm not angry," Tsuna lightly grasped my hand and smiled. "You have the right to know about your mother's condition."

 _"Well, how nice to see my son finally grow up like a real man,"_ Iemitsu smirked at both of us. _"When are you going to marry her, Tsuna?"_

"D-dad..." the brunet cleared his throat. "I'm going to ask you something important and I want you to be serious about it."

_"Is it something that your mother should not know about it?"_

"Yes, there is. I'm talking about dad's adopted sister."

Iemitsu's look darkened as Tsuna mentioned his adopted sister. Gokudera and Dino did notice his reaction and we knew it was not something he was willing to tell.

_"Why you want to know about that woman in sudden?"_

"Because I have the right to know something that you've been hiding from me when I was young," Tsuna answered. "I'm not that dumb when I did hear mom talked about that woman you're arguing with."

The other refused to look at his son's eyes and after he took some time to reconsider, he let out a loud sigh and facing back to all of us.

_"Alright, I'll tell you. That woman was my adoptive sister. Her name is Sawada Naohime. Your grandfather, Ietsuna brought her in after she lost all her family members in an accident. I dislike the idea of bringing an outsider as a part of a family but your grandfather insisted to adopt her after your grandmother failed to get pregnant. I often in bad terms with your grandfather when I was a teenager, so he loved your aunt more than me."_

"Sounds like me and dad years ago," Tsuna eyed at his father.

_"Right. We argued with each other and I left the house after I graduated from high school. He often said bad things about me when he failed to see what my adopted sister had been doing. Going out with other boys and often fought with other girls just for one guy. She faced many bad breakups and she decided not to trust any boys or men. She graduated and continued studying medical science. I was in Italy and I had been working for the Ninth while expecting that woman to take good care of our old man. Until I received an emergency call from Tsuyoshi."_

"Tsuyoshi? You mean Takeshi's father?" 

_"Yes, that's him. He called me with his frantic tone and telling me to return home fast. He told me that your grandfather was heavily injured on his head and there was no one around at the house. I quickly book a flight back to Japan and he was in the ICU room. I spent lots of sleepless nights just to wait for him to wake up. After a week, he did wake up. When he saw my face, he broke into tears and he was grasping my hands tightly. No matter how many times I asked who was the one hurt him and Naohime's whereabouts, he refused to say anything."_

"I'm getting curious about that woman," said Dino. "Even if she was an adopted child, she shouldn't leave her father like that."

 _"I never liked her. She was highly ambitious and too proud of herself. I don't understand. From all the children out there, he picked this girl to adopt,"_ Iemitsu replied.

"So, dad never heard of her after grandfather got hurt?"

_"I could not find her and I gave up. It was when you were only four years old, I received a letter from an unknown country. As I sensed nothing dangerous inside, I tore it open and there was a memory card in it. After making sure that your mother was taking care of you, I checked its content and there was a video file. I was in shock to see that it was Naohime recording herself in the video, just to say hello to me. And then she showed her supposed child. I was enraged when she showed no concern for our old man. I did everything to track her down for years until I heard that she was staying in an asylum in Spain."_

"What? She's in the asylum?!" Tsuna exclaimed with shock. "What exactly happened to her??"

_"To tell you the truth, I don't know. Your grandfather refused to tell me anything about her after my long absence and she was the only one knew better. When I did go to the asylum for her explanation, she just laughed like a madwoman. She would not tell me at all, even about her supposed child."_

"Did you know anything about her child?"

_"If she refused to tell, then I can't determine the real identity of her child. All I know that he was about your age and had blond hair. After she was admitted to the asylum, he was nowhere to be found."_

"Blond hair and was about the Tenth's age. Could it be that stranger?" Gokudera muttered.

"Any clues about Naohime's husband? Since she had a child," Dino asked further.

_"That is the real mystery. She never trusts any man and once telling me that she will produce her child without their help."_

"She can't have a child without her male partner's help. That's just not right," the brunet added with his confused look.

_"I know that, Tsuna. This had been left unanswered. As she was not a threat to anyone, I ignored her existence. I pretended that I never had a sister. Your grandfather still could not forget Naohime until the day he passed away."_

It was quite a long conversation and Iemitsu had to leave for his urgent business. The four of us stared at each other with our unbelievable look. Tsuna knew he had an aunt but he never thought it would be serious. 

"So that stranger. He must be my supposed cousin."

"We can't be sure yet, Tsuna," Dino tried to assure the brunet. "Maybe she adopted him and you are free to address him as your cousin or not. I mean, it's not like he has the Vongola blood running inside his veins."

"He's right. You said that she cannot have her child without her male partner's help," I added. 

"I can accept the adoption issue, but what about his voice and his blond hair? That can't be a coincidence, right?"

"Well, Xanxus is almost similar to the second Vongola boss. It's natural for everyone to think that he was the Ninth's real son," I added again.

"Xanxus is not related to the Vongola family just because he has the Flame of Wrath, but for this stranger, he's like the spitting image of the Tenth," said Gokudera.

"You're telling us that he's Vongola Primo?" Dino asked.

"No, that can't be," Tsuna replied. "You need advanced technology to bring someone from the past to the present. Even if you did that, it will trigger the time paradox. Such as if you bring Primo's child version from his past to this time and make him as your child, then dad and I cannot exist."

"Because Primo was your ancestor," I concluded.

"Exactly. There must be a way for her to have her child. She is the one knows about it."

"What can you get from a madwoman? I don't think she would tell if she knows you're her nephew."

Tsuna's phone rang all of a sudden and he quickly answered the call. We turned to look at him to see what was the news.

"Yes, Kyoya? What's the matter?"

The brunet's eyes widened with horror and he was gripping his phone tightly. It felt like he was unable to find his voice before he spoke. His words made the three of us froze as if the world was coming to an end.

"Arianna was found...dead?"


	41. Cousin

The Mediterranean Cafe was closed for a week because Paola was attending Arianna's funeral ceremony. The funeral was held at the church and the agents from the secret intelligence agency were attending to mourn their head of the agency. The Vongola and some other mafia family were attending as well to give last respect to the only descendant of the Vongola's First Cloud. 

When Tsuna received the news about Arianna's death, Hibari explained that he did receive her last message two days before she died. She told him that someone was planning to overthrow Vongola and they would be the worst enemy after Pyotr Morozov. He was suspicious and he contacted Arianna's assistant only to be told that she was reported missing.

Her body was found in the motel's restroom. She was shot in her head and they were signs that she had fought with her murderer.

I was saddened by the tragedy to befall on her. She had an unhappy marriage and had lost her unborn child. I wanted to know who was the one murdered Arianna.

Paola was sitting in front of Arianna's grave after the funeral ceremony was over. She was accompanied by her grandniece's assistant and Yuni. Tsuna and I joined them and Paola had a sad smile on her face. She told us that Arianna often involved with her dangerous missions.

"I knew something was wrong when she bid farewell to me. She would usually say 'I'm off to work' or when she had to work overtime, she would call to tell me that she was unable to return home. But this time, she suddenly thanked me for taking care of her. I didn't receive any calls from her and I was worried. So, I looked for her assistant and she told me that her boss was missing. I guess you know the rest of it."

"The boss is the strongest person I've ever met. I find it hard to accept the truth that she was murdered," the assistant explained.

"I agree," I spoke out. "Arianna would not let herself killed. Something is wrong about it."

"It's no use talking about it. She won't return," Paola sighed. "She suffered a lot and she is now able to reunite with her parents and her unborn child."

"...I'll find that murderer, Paola."

The assistant, Paola and I stared at Tsuna and he had a serious look on his face. He was determined to search for the murderer so that Arianna could rest in peace.

"I'll find her murderer or else, she won't be able to rest peacefully."

* * *

"Sawada, I have something to say but I was afraid to tell you about it."

"Why do you need to be afraid of, Yuni? You didn't do anything wrong to me."

"It's...it's about Arianna. I knew she was already dead before she was reported missing."

Tsuna and I were in the study room with Yuni while waiting for the allied families to attend an important meeting. The Giglio Nero boss wanted to talk to us privately after we returned from the funeral ceremony. She had been troubled about it for days.

"A month ago, I was buying some fruits with Nozaru and we happened to meet Arianna. She returned from her mission and she was tired. I invited her for lunch in a small cafe and I learnt about her dark past. We were talking before she had to leave to do some report. That was when I began to see her death in the future."

"You didn't see her killer?" I asked.

"No," she shook her head sadly. "I saw her lying motionless on the bed with a gunshot wound at her head. If only I knew who killed her. She doesn't deserve to live a sad life."

"Please don't blame yourself, Yuni," Tsuna gently touched her head. "It is not your fault she died. We will try our best to find her murderer."

Yuni smiled at him and she nodded her head. Gokudera soon informed the arrival of the allied families and we went to the meeting room.

I saw many of them were coming; Reborn, the Shimon, the Varia, the Cavallone, the Tomaso, the Giglio Nero, the Gesso and the CEDEF. Oregano was taking over Basil's place as he was in Spain for urgent business. I gave each of them some papers before I went to sit beside Tsuna.

The meeting started with a discussion about the recent unusual incidents happened in Italy and some other countries of Europe. Some missionary schools were forced to close for further investigations after the sudden mass suicide. The victims were mostly children and some teachers. It was worse than the arson attack last year.

"I've heard about it," Fran spoke out and he placed the paper on the table. "I've recently returned to my grandmother's hometown in France and everyone talked about it."

"Do you find anything suspicious?" Oregano asked with her attentive look.

"There is a missionary school near my grandmother's house," Fran replied while folding a paper to make an origami swan. "Some neighbours saw the teachers recently taking in a poor young man who looked like he needed help. After the mass suicide happened in that school, he was nowhere to be found."

"He could be the one responsible for their deaths," Lambo shivered. "That's what a madman would do."

"And according to the investigation report made by the authorities, this is how the suspect looks like."

The brunet switched on the projector and a picture of a hooded stranger was shown at the white screen.

"HA!! I know that brat!!!" Squalo bellowed and most of us jumped with shock.

"You do? Where, and when is the last time you meet him?" Yamamoto asked quickly.

"Of course I know that sh*tty brat!!" the Rain Varia snapped. "We were supposed to return to Italy three days ago with our private jet when he appeared from nowhere and started to attack our Boss!!"

"He dared to lay his filthy hands on Boss, so I did my best to protect him," Leviathan growled with his dissatisfied look. "But he was quick and dodging our best attacks."

"Luckily, our Boss did not hesitate and he could shoot at his shoulder," added Lussuria. "He was muttering something before he vanished."

"Did you hear what he said?" Tsuna asked the Sun Varia.

"Sounds like, 'As expected, you do have Vongola Secondo's Flame of Wrath'."

"The hell! How did he know about Vongola Secondo??" Gokudera snapped. 

"And what does it have to do with the mass suicide??" Koyo Aoba asked with his confused look.

"Because it is the same person," Dino answered his question. "The hooded stranger could brainwash his victims to commit suicide as he had done to a girl named Diana. He wrote and composed his dark song and invited anyone to sing with him before they took their own life."

"Brainwashing victims with a song, eh?" Byakuran gave a small grin. "This is also Rokudo Mukuro's special ability, right?"

"Please, singing is not my talent," Mukuro replied with a smirk. "I can control people's mind after marking them with my trident. In this case, this young man possibly wants to share his sufferings to other people so that they could feel the same way as he was."

"I have to agree with Mukuro," I added. "This stranger attacked me and he forced me to sing with him. I felt my mind was disturbed when I listened to him and I was not happy. It felt like I had an unfortunate life as he was."

"Wow, this is worse than getting shot by Desolation bullet!" Naito suddenly sat up.

"Uh, what's the function of that bullet?" I asked.

"Oh, the Desolation bullet makes the user recall their sad events in their life and drawing more sympathies from anyone around them," Naito answered.

"Alright, but that stranger did not use any special bullets or weapons to brainwash his victims," I explained. "He just sings. That's all."

"Here's the worse part," the Storm Vongola's look darkened. "He has golden blond hair and he shares the same voice with the Tenth."

The meeting room was tenser than before after Gokudera revealed the hooded stranger's features. 

"S-seriously?" Enma gave his shocked look. "I don't think that's Tsuna. Wait, his hair is not blond."

"This is getting interesting," Byakuran's lips curved into a sly smile. "What are you up to, Vongola Decimo?"

"W-wait! Tsuna is not that hooded guy! He's-"

The brunet waved his hand once to stop me from talking. I was worried and he shook his head. He simply smiled and he knew what to do.

"I didn't do anything, Byakuran," Tsuna answered and he was looking at everyone. "I did fight with that stranger and I admit, he's pretty strong. This may still a mystery to me but I found out that he could be my possible cousin."

Katou Julie nearly spat out the water he drank.

"Cousin?? I didn't know you have one!"

"Iemitsu has an adoptive sister named Sawada Naohime."

Reborn finally spoke out after his long silence.

"Tsuna's grandfather adopted her after losing her family members in an accident. Both Iemitsu and Naohime were not in good terms and he found out that she had a child. Her child could be the hooded stranger."

"The problem is that brat does not have Vongola blood," Xanxus said gruffly.

"Boss is right," Belphegor sneered. "That woman does not have the Vongola blood, so her child can't have that blood running inside his veins."

"Maybe she was married to Tsuna's possible relative?" asked Yamamoto.

"No, Tsuna has no other relatives," Dino answered. "His aunt had this child without any male partner's help and we are wondering how did she do it."

"So overall, we need to catch this hooded stranger to answer all the unsolved questions?" asked Ryohei.

"Yes, he needs to be stopped or more will die because of him," Tsuna stood up from his seat. "I'll try to find for more clues about that stranger and I need all of you to be aware of him. I hate to say this but he could be more dangerous than Pyotr Morozov."

The meeting soon ended after more than an hour and almost everyone started to leave the headquarters to prepare themselves for any possible threats from the hooded stranger.

The problem was that he had made his first move.

* * *

_**Extra** _

Tsuna was still unable to sleep as he began to worry about the hooded stranger's motive. Arianna's last message made him assumed that he could be the worst enemy and he would overpower the Vongola. 

Why would his cousin had a deep grudge against the Vongola? How did he know about the mafia?

"...Dad, why you didn't want me to meet him in the first place?"

He muttered. It was his father's attitude after all. He understood why his father left both of them and he rarely interacted with his father, sometimes making things difficult.

The brunet realised that he did have an aunt with her beloved child. The child who became the biggest threat-

His phone rang in the middle of the night and he saw a private number appeared on the screen. Tsuna's sharp intuition came across his mind and he knew this was not good news. He wanted to reject it to avoid any risks but what if it was an important call?

His thumb pressed the accept button and placed his phone at his ear.

"Hello. Don Vongola speaking here."

_"Hello. Still recognise me, Vongola Decimo?"_

He furrowed his eyebrows as soon he heard the caller's voice. It felt like he was talking to his mirror reflection.

_"Why are you taking a long time to answer my call? You're thinking to reject it? If you did, you are responsible for more deaths to come."_

"Don't ever think of doing anything," Tsuna growled with anger. "Why are you doing this? What's your real purpose?"

_"My real purpose? I want to show to everyone that love and happiness do not exist."_

"You're the only one who thinks that they do not exist!" the brunet snapped. "Don't drag other people into your life that you've suffered!"

_"Which is why I hate you, Sawada Tsunayoshi."_

"...You hate me?"

_"Yes, everything about you. You're the opposite of me and I f*cking hate you. You're the mafia boss with a good vibe and I hate to see that. I thought the Vongola should be the strongest and the most ruthless famiglia in the mafia world."_

"Say whatever you want and I will not change who I am. I'm not an insane person who goes around killing people for no reason," Tsuna answered with his stern tone. "I want you to answer my question. Are you the son of Sawada Naohime?"

_"...You mean that woman who called herself a mother?"_

"Then who's your father? How on earth you're born without your father?"

_"If you want to know so much about me, then we should meet. I'm warning you right now. You must be alone and don't you dare to come with someone else, or having someone to follow you wherever you go."_

"What if someone did follow me?"

_"I'll find your beloved girlfriend and I will not hesitate to kill her in front of your eyes."_

Tsuna's expression darkened as he gripped his phone tightly. He remembered that he almost lost Ayano when he went to Russia to save her and he could not let that happen again.

"Give me the address. I'll be meeting you."

After some time, the brunet stood up and he walked out from his study room. He quietly walked to avoid any of his guardians woke up to see what he was up to. He reached Ayano's room and he went inside only to see her sleeping with her tired look. Her laptop and some papers were on her bed and she was too tired to put everything away. 

Tsuna laughed a little and he had a sad smile on his face. He took off his Sky Ring and placed at her finger gently. He leaned and gave a soft kiss onto her forehead before he whispered near her ear.

"I'll try my best to return safely. I love you, [Name]."


	42. Isoleren

When I felt like I slept longer than usual, I tried opening my sleepy eyes. I grabbed the alarm clock beside me and I realised that I was half an hour late to wake Tsuna up. I moved my laptop and the papers aside before I quickly changed my clothes. I left my room and I head straight to Tsuna's room. I find it strange that he did not respond after I knocked on his door several times. I entered his room and there was no sign of him. The bed was untouched and his wardrobe looked like he randomly took out one of his shirts to wear for an important meeting. 

Why would he suddenly do it on his own? Something was wrong about it.

I left his room and went to his study room. Gokudera was inside and he was trying to call for someone with his phone. He was giving his tensed look when he failed to get someone answer his calls. 

"Gokudera, who are you trying to call?" I asked.

"The Tenth," he answered quickly and he was still waiting for the call. "I've been calling him twenty times and he still did not answer."

"Maybe he left his phone. Why would you want to call him?"

"I received bad news from Don Cavallone's secretary," the silver-haired gritted his teeth. "She was panicking and I had to tell her to calm down several times. She told me that her cousin was nowhere to be found."

"W-what? Dino is missing??" my eyes widened with horror. 

"I need to inform the Tenth about this news but I've been searching for him around the headquarters. He doesn't even answer my calls."

"What is Tsuna thinking? We are now in a big crisis because of that damn hooded stranger and now he's not around??" 

I was stressed and when my fingers ran through my hair, I felt something cold touched my scalp. I blinked and I saw two rings in my middle and last fingers. 

It was Tsuna's Sky Ring and it always had been with him. Why was it with me?

"Gokudera?"

"What is it?"

"Tsuna left his Sky Ring with me. Do you have any idea why he did that?"

The Storm Vongola turned around and he did see his boss's Sky Ring in my two fingers. His look darkened as he knew the reason why he would leave something valuable behind.

"The Tenth once told me. If he knew something bad might happen to him, he will leave his Sky Ring behind."

"N...no way. Is he going to-"

"We can't be sure yet. He did tell me and this is the first time he leaves his Sky Ring behind," Gokudera started to call someone else with his phone. "We're having an emergency meeting! Go and gather everyone as fast as possible!" 

I nodded and I ran around the headquarters to look for the other guardians. Once I told them about Tsuna's disappearance, they did not hesitate and went straight to the meeting room. We were asking each other some questions and we were panicking. None of them seen him around before his disappearance. 

The meeting room was getting noisier and they were about to argue with each other. I could not stand the tension as I accidentally slammed both of my hands onto the desk. As I was still wearing Tsuna's Sky Ring, my two fingers hurt a lot after what I did. At least it was worth it after silencing everyone in the meeting room.

"I...I'm sorry for doing this but, can we just calm down for a while and think of a better solution?"

I spoke out and they were still silent while looking at me. I gave a frustrated sigh and I stared back at them.

"None of us seen him around before he was missing. So, it was no one's fault for this to happen. I don't think Tsuna would be happy to see his guardians arguing like this. I know what you feel. I know your great worry towards him. I admit that I almost freaked out when he's not here all of a sudden."

Whether it was my imagination or not, I thought I heard Natsu's sad growl from the Sky Ring. I clasped both of my hands and gently touched the ring to soothe the lion cub.

"We have no answers to his disappearance, so the only thing we can do is to investigate the whole headquarters and see if he left anything behind."

I was waiting for their response until Yamamoto spoke out with his usual smile.

"Well, we might as well listen to Ayano. She got the point."

"Our boss would react the same way as she did if he sees us arguing," Ryohei tightened his fists with determination. "Let's check around if he left some clues behind."

"I doubt that he would do that. He probably doesn't want anyone to follow him," Hibari added.

"It seems that you know him well," Mukuro commented with a smirk and the skylark only responded with his glare.

"Ah, what are we waiting for?" Lambo stood up from his seat. "The faster we do our work, the better."

"I'll talk to Natalia about Don Cavallone's disappearance. Just report to me if any of you have some leads," said Gokudera as he went out of the meeting room.

It was strange without Tsuna. It felt like everything would crumble without the sky. I was not as calm as I reacted in the meeting room. I was overthinking after I saw the Sky Ring in my fingers. I knew it was a bad sign and yet, I still asked Gokudera about it. 

I returned to his study room and the things on his desk remained untouched. I rearrange the paperwork and stacking it together until my eyes once again stared at the photo of the Vongola's first generation. 

As both Tsuna and Primo were similar to each other, I wondered if Primo would go missing without informing his guardians. He might want to do something without anyone knowing. Whether it was safe or dangerous. 

"Primo-san, do you have any idea where Tsuna is? He's gone without telling us. Why he would do that? What if something bad happens to him?"

Oh, great. Of course, no one would answer my question.

The coat rack suddenly fell over and landed on the desk with a loud thud. I jumped with shock and I glared at the coat rack with anger. 

Who would not get a heart attack moment when it happened while I was thinking of something else? 

I was about to lift it when the hook of the coat hanger landed right on a thick sticky note. As I look closely, there was something written on the sticky note.

I moved the coat rack away and I took the pencil to shade the sticky note. I was sure that Tsuna could have written something on it before he took the note with him. I was done shading and it was an address of a certain place.

_Wanhoop 13,_   
_20044 AK Isoleren,_   
_Netherlands._

I ran back to my room and get my tablet to find the address with an internet browser. The result showed that it was an isolated village in the Netherlands and I saw some windmills and old houses. That place looked like it had gone through an apocalypse.

Was that the place where Tsuna went to?

* * *

The Varia was keeping an eye of the Vongola Headquarters while the rest of us flew to the Netherlands after I showed the address to Gokudera and others. They were surprised when they found out that Tsuna went to that place all on his own. 

Gokudera even mentioned that it was a coincidence because Dino was last seen in the same country according to Natalia's acquaintance. After listening to the silver-haired, Natalia had sent more of Dino's subordinates to find their missing boss.

We tried asking the people around but they walked off or ran away. We only mention the place called Isoleren, they left without giving us a detailed answer. As if they were afraid to tell us about that place.

"It's no use asking them. They just run away before we could ask," Ryohei grunted with frustration.

"We are not even familiar with this place, so we can't go there to find Tsuna and Don Cavallone," Yamamoto replied. 

"Maybe they are scared of us," Lambo commented. "We walk in a group and they think we are some kind of a criminal gang."

"We should split up into four groups. It would be much faster to find them before it's too late. No one will go and find them alone," Gokudera suggested. "Lambo, you're going with Sasagawa. Yamamoto will go with Hibari and Minoru will go with Chrome."

"That leaves you with me, right?" Mukuro sneered and the Storm gave his dislike look.

"I purposely don't want you to go with Hibari because both of you will end up fighting with each other again."

"What an observant man," the illusionist gave a sarcastic remark.

We parted our ways as we walked in different directions. We were making sure that our phones were on all the time to receive any possible news about Tsuna and Dino. Chrome and I were walking around and we did ask several people for the directions to Isoleren. They did not help but we kept on trying.

"Miss Ayano, you should get some rest. You had been working so hard to look for Boss," said Chrome worriedly.

"No, I can't rest. I'm going to keep on finding until I finally see him," I replied.

"You remind me of Boss when he had been frantically searching for you."

"Yeah, I know that. Looks like I'm swallowing my own pill," I sighed and I looked back at the Sky Ring. "I had been working as his secretary for quite a long time and he would never remove this ring from his finger. When he did it, I knew it was a bad omen. I did not expect that he would leave...without saying anything to me."

"Boss has his reasons. If he tell, you might stop him, or follow him along. Perhaps he did tell you something when you're sleeping," Chrome smiled sweetly. "You need to believe that he will be safe. He will not give up easily."

I stared at her and I slowly gave a relieved smile. I should believe that Tsuna would not do anything foolish. Chrome's encouragement made me feel more determined.

Asking someone was wasting a time and I decided to drag someone to ask a question. I finally dragged a young man who was about to go inside his car.

"Excuse me, sir! Please, I want to ask you a question! Just a few minutes!"

"...Alright, please be quick. I need to fetch my siblings before they yell at me for being late," the young man smiled pleasantly at me and Chrome.

"Sorry about that," Chrome apologised. "We want to know the directions to a place called Isoleren." 

"Uh, why would you want to go there? It's been abandoned-"

"Please tell us about it! We are looking for someone who had been missing for days and I feared that they might be at that place!" I explained with desperation.

"...I'll give you the directions to that place. But I must warn you. Once you've found someone you're looking for, you must immediately leave that place. Don't ever think of staying there longer."

"Why is that so, sir?" Chrome asked curiously. "Everyone seems to look uncomfortable when we say we want to go to Isoleren."

"Do you know what is Isoleren? It means isolated in Dutch. Whoever went to that place were never found again and some said that they could hear people screaming with agony. There was only one person who managed to escape from that place but ended up insane. No one ever knew what happened to them."

"Was it a woman? How does she look like?" I asked again.

"All I know that she's a Japanese woman with short black hair. My parents told me that she's dangerous and she had to be placed in an asylum in another country. Because of her condition, the Dutch authorities sealed that area and no one is allowed to enter."

The young man did give us the directions to Isoleren before he quickly left. Chrome and I were silent for a moment when he told us about the insane woman.

"Miss Ayano, could it be...?"

"Yes, Chrome. That woman is none other than Sawada Naohime."


	43. Iesada

Isoleren was a forbidden place in the Netherlands and people who went there were never found again. Only a woman managed to escape and she ended up insane. She was later placed in the asylum in Spain.

Sawada Naohime was the only one who had the answers but we were not able to get anything from her because of her condition. Chrome and I had a new lead and I was calling the others to come over while giving the directions to Isoleren. 

"Miss Ayano, that's the place!" Chrome exclaimed and she pointed her finger at the entrance of an isolated village.

The old houses were long abandoned and the clock tower in the middle of the village looked old and antique. Chrome said that the atmosphere was similar to Shimon's holy island but this village was way creepier. The deeper we went in, the more eerieness we felt. We continued searching for Tsuna and Dino and I kept hearing strange howling noises around the village. I did not see anyone around and I wonder if Chrome heard it.

When I saw a small chapel, I went near to the door and my nose picked a stench of rotting dead bodies. I opened the door and both of us went in to have a look. The awful smell was getting stronger when we went in further. 

The floor was creaking loudly when I stepped on it and I removed the carpet away. I found a trapdoor on the floor and that was where the smell came from. 

"This awful smell came from the trapdoor. Is it safe to open it?" Chrome asked quietly.

"I don't want to think that both of them are inside," I replied and I tightened my fists. "But, better try than not knowing anything."

I took a deep breath and I pulled open the trapdoor. I knelt and I yelled with horror to see many dead bodies inside the trapdoor. Chrome was in shock too as she saw it. Most of the dead bodies were still wearing their camping attire and there was no sign of Tsuna and Dino.

It was a horrible sight as I quickly close the trapdoor and we left the chapel to proceed with the search. We were already near an old fountain and Chrome suddenly tugged my suit, caused me to stop walking.

"What is it, Chrome?"

"S...something is moving. Near that fountain..."

I looked at the fountain and I did saw something moving in the long, thick grass. We waited for that thing to appear and we saw a small turtle crawling out from the grasses. I sighed loudly after seeing what it was.

"I'm glad it's a tortoise. I thought something would attack both of us."

"Tortoise? Should it be a turtle?" 

"I have trouble to identify which is which," I gave an annoyed look. "Tortoise, turtle, terrapins- Damn it, aren't they just look the same? I still confused between bees and wasps."

"Well, they are different," Chrome giggled with amusement before she stared at that turtle. "Say, does this little one look familiar? It had been staring at us for quite a time."

"Really?" I replied and I did look at the turtle. 

I soon realised something about this turtle as I talked to it. 

"Is that you, Enzo?"

The turtle opened its mouth as if it was answering to me.

"How did you know that's Enzo?"

"Dino showed it to me and this thing bit my finger once-" I gasped. "If Enzo is here, then his owner should be somewhere around here, right??"

"Maybe Enzo crawled all the way here to ask for help. We need to look for Don Cavallone."

I picked Enzo up and we started to run around the village to look for Dino while calling out for his name. We did not stop and we were hoping that Gokudera and others would come to this village fast. 

I was focusing on running when I accidentally tripped and I fell onto the ground. Chrome quickly assist me to stand up and Enzo was seen crawling towards the old shed. We slowly took some few steps nearer to the shed and we heard someone was groaning in pain. 

Dino was injured as more blood oozed from his shoulder.

"D-Dino! Are you alright?!" I knelt and I checked his injury.

"A...Ayano, you're here..." he smiled weakly. "Looks like Enzo did a great job..."

I was worried to see his condition. I was tending his injured shoulder while Chrome helped out to clean his other small wounds.

"Who's the one hurt you? And why are you here??" I quickly asked. 

"I received a call from an unknown number and I don't remember giving my number to anyone..." Dino answered while taking some few deep breaths. "So I did not answer the call and minutes later, the same caller sent me a picture of Tsuna being tied up at an unknown place. They told me to come alone if I wanted to save him and he gave me an address. I did not think twice as I flew to the Netherlands without telling Natalia and Romario."

"Wait, Tsuna is there??" I blinked with my confused look. "He wasn't around since this morning and you were missing before he knew it."

"Did he?" he winced with pain. "I don't know. I did come here according to the address they gave me. As I went inside the large windmill, I was blacked out..."

"Blacked out? Then, what happens next?" asked Chrome.

"The moment I woke up, Tsuna was with me and he was worried. He told me that I finally snapped from my trance. I don't remember what I have done. I wanted to know more when we heard strange noises around the windmill and we saw that hooded stranger. He told me to run away but I wanted to stay to help him. He strongly refused to let me stay and I had to run. Someone shot me from behind but I did not turn around. I continued to run until I finally hide in this shed..."

The hooded stranger had controlled Dino's mind and made him fight against Tsuna. The brunet had managed to wake him up and he wanted him to escape while he was dealing with that stranger. 

What if Tsuna was in deep trouble? I had to save him. I stood up and I was about to walk away when Dino tugged my arm in sudden.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"To the large windmill. I need to save Tsuna."

"You can't go there, Ayano. That stranger is there and he might kill you."

"And he might kill your brother too. I don't want that to happen-"

"Listen to me!" Dino said with his raucous tone. "Tsuna never want you to get hurt again after that incident in Russia. He had been waiting for you to wake up after you lost consciousness and he wanted to make sure that he will not lose you for another time. Consider his feelings and don't act on your own, will you??"

I did not say anything for a while and I gently removed his hand from my arm. I turned around to look at him and I smiled. 

"I'll be back, Dino. Along with Tsuna. I won't hurt myself again because I made a promise to Tsuna and my mother. I want to protect him as he did to me."

"Ayano, you're not going to-"

"To what? Sacrificing my soul to the devil in hell?" I grinned. "Tsuna would be angry at me if I did something foolish. So, please trust me, Dino."

* * *

Chrome continued to tend Don Cavallone's wounds while waiting for Gokudera and others arrived at Isoleren. I was looking for the large windmill and there were many of them. I had no idea how large was the windmill when all of them were a lot bigger than I thought. 

Natsu roared from the Sky Ring and it knew where Tsuna was. I was walking in the wheat field carefully so that I would not step on any traps.

There was an only large windmill in the middle of the wheat field. When I went nearer to the windmill, I heard strange howling noises from inside. Natsu hissed fiercely as we went closer to the door. 

I slowly pushed the door open and I went inside while looking around the building. The space on the ground floor was empty and large where it almost could fit a baseball field. There was a staircase that leads to the upper floor. I climbed the stairs and I reached the first floor. It was a small bedroom with a window and small stairs that would lead me to the windmill's control room.

There was nothing ordinary about the bedroom except for the mess on the table. I saw some papers with scribbles and drawings done by a child. I picked one of them and there was a drawing of a little boy with blonde hair and a woman. The woman's face was smeared with an unknown stain. I picked up the other papers and I saw a book with a name on it.

It was a diary written by someone named Sawada Iesada. Was this Naohime's child's name?

I opened the diary as I started to read its content. 

_Page 1 - My name is Sawada Iesada. I am five years old and I lived in this old windmill._

_Page 2 - My mother told me not to play with other children and I must stay in the windmill._

_Page 3 - A girl saw me from the window and she wanted to play with me. I go out to play with her._

_Page 4 - My mother punished me for being a bad boy. I was not allowed to ask about my father._

_Page 5 - I was forced to eat nasty medicine. My mother told me that I was sick and I have to eat them._

_Page 6 - Doctors and nurses keep on asking me weird questions. Can you be happy, sad or angry? Do you have emotions? Do you have any memories?_

_Page 7 - My mother told me I have a cousin about my age._

_Page 8 - My cousin has parents who love him so much. What is love anyway? Why my mother treat me differently?_

_Page 9 - I talk with my cousin and he was so kind to me. My mother found out and she brutally punished me for using her phone._

_Page 10 - My sickness grew worse and more disgusting medicines were forced into my mouth. My mother just stood there and watch._

My hands went cold when I read the diary. How could Naohime be so cruel to her son? What kind of sickness Iesada was suffering from? 

I turned to the next page and the last entry gave me a horrible feeling in my heart.

_Page 11 - Everyone around me is dead. I am the only one still standing. I will never trust anyone, even my mother. There is no such thing as love._

_Page 12 - I have created a song and I love it._

_I was born in a cruel world, the total opposite of what I expected_   
_I get nothing but mere despair and false hopes_   
_I shall leave and free myself from this locked cage_   
_For there is no such thing as love_

I dropped the diary and my face went pale. It was true after all. The hooded stranger was Sawada Iesada, Naohime's son.

And he killed everyone who tried to force him to take heavy medications. What were these sickening people trying to do with him?

Not only that. Iesada did talk to Tsuna when they were young.

I heard someone was climbing up the stairs and I quickly took out my pistol to get ready. I was relieved to see Tsuna at the stairs and when I was about to put my weapon away, he took out his pistol as well and aimed it straight at my head. 

"T...Tsuna, what are you doing?"

He did not answer my question. His finger was ready to pull the trigger and I froze. I was unable to do anything.

Because someone I love was about to kill me.


	44. Clone

This situation reminded me of Clelia Federigo aiming her pistol at my heart. I could avoid her shot and kick her arse. But I could not hurt Tsuna although he was aiming his pistol at my head. 

Natsu was growling fiercely but it could not do anything to attack its master. The lion cub was hesitant. I tried to think of a better solution to solve the problem until I noticed Tsuna's dull eyes.

Iesada's dark song. How could I forget about it? I assumed that Dino heard it too when he went inside this windmill.

It was not easy to make Tsuna snapped from his trance and I did not want him to regret for the rest of his life after killing me. My only choice was to defeat him.

When the brunet pulled the trigger of the pistol, I immediately fall on the floor and I tried my best to crawl up the small stairs as fast as I could. He was quick and he kept on shooting in my direction. 

I slapped my forehead. I made a big mistake. There was no exit on the top floor!

I was trapped and I was surrounded with giant gears that controlled the windmill's large fan. Tsuna had reached the top floor and he was blocking the way for me to escape. He continued to shoot and I was hiding behind the giant gears to avoid his bullets. 

I had to distract his attention as I took out my pistol to shoot the sandbags from the windmill's roof. The heavy sandbags fell at Tsuna's position and he had to dodge them. I took my chance to run when he grabbed my ankle with his strong grip. I fell and I was being pulled back inside before he roughly pinned me onto the floor. He stared at me with his eyes that were filled with hate and disgust. 

I hate the way he stared at me.

"T-Tsuna, please...don't do this! I know you don't want to hurt me!" I pleaded while I struggled to free myself. "You have to wake up before it's too late!"

"That Tsuna you know is already dead," he muttered in his monotone voice. "You are unfortunate to see the darker side of himself."

"No, that's not true! He's not going to kill someone he cared the most!"

"He does not need to care for anyone. As long as he is the ruthless mafia boss, everyone will fear him." 

He covered my mouth with his hand and placed the pistol at my temple. 

"You don't need to worry about me, Minoru Ayano. Everything is going to be fine."

I shook my head hard and I tried to move his hand away from my mouth. 

The Sky Ring in my fingers suddenly resonates and it had triggered Tsuna's mind. He winced as he dropped the pistol and held his head, experiencing a slight headache. I quickly moved away from him and I was unsure if I should help him or not.

It was only a while when he managed to stand up and I had to run to the ground floor. I tried to pull the door open but it would not move. It was locked from outside and Tsuna was already on the ground floor. 

When he was about to shoot, I took the long steel pipe and hit straight at his pistol. The pistol was thrown on the ground and it was no longer in good condition. He gritted his teeth and he decided to fight as he took another steel pipe nearby his spot. We were fighting each other and I need to try harder to defeat him and wake him up. 

Sparring against Hibari was tough and I did not think that I could win against Tsuna-

[Full Name], was that all you have? All the delinquents would laugh at you for giving up that easily. Prove to them that you were unbeatable.

My inner self was talking to me. I never want to give up. 

Just give me a little strength for me to break whatever sh*t that controlled my boyfriend's mind so that I could peacefully bring him back and force him to settle all his paperwork!

" _Ma che cazzo fai_ (What the hell are you doing), Tsuna?!" I yelled with anger while I kept on giving more blows with my steel pipe. "Trying to escape from paperwork?! Looks like you are forcing me to drag you back to your goddamn study room to make you finish all your work!"

The mind control was about to break. He was trying to free himself when I caught a glimpse at his troubled look. I need to try much harder. I swung my steel pipe with full force and I managed to hit his steel pipe that went flying away from his hands. I dropped mine and I gave a rough punch across his face.

Tsuna blinked his eyes hard and they were back to his usual brown eyes. He was finally free from the mind control.

He fell to the ground and placed his hand on his swollen cheek, muttered with pain.

"Ooouuch...! You're going too far, Ayano...your punch is just as deadly as Reborn's punch..."

"As if I wanted to punch you!" I snapped. "If I didn't do anything, you would have killed me by now!"

"Wait, I tried to...kill you?" Tsuna's expression had changed and looked more alarmed.

I was about to respond when the ground exploded and formed a deep abyss. My eyes widened with shock and I fell into the abyss, screaming for help. 

"[Name]!!"

Without thinking, Tsuna jumped in the abyss well and tried reaching out his hand to grab my hand. I stretched out my hand so that he could grab it but I fell even deeper as if I was being pulled into the black hole. The brunet kept on reaching out his hand and he grabbed my hand, quickly pulled me into a tight hug. 

The surroundings grew darker as we fell and both of us fell unconscious after we hit on the ground.

* * *

I groaned and I felt dizzier after the long fall. I thought I was about to die since I never knew how deep we fell. I was about to sit up when there was someone still hugging me tightly. Tsuna was close to me and we were wrapped together with a large black cloth. 

I was confused and wondering where did he get the cloth when we were falling into the abyss at the same time?

"Tsuna...wake up..." I was shaking his shoulder but he was still unconscious. "Tsuna...?"

I noticed some small cuts and rock scratches on his hands and his face. His black suit was dustier than before. He had been protecting me so that I would not get hurt. Would that make him suffer the damage more than I was?

"...don't worry about me, [Name]..." Tsuna muttered as he slowly opened his eyes, placing his hand on my cheek. "As long as you are not hurt..."

"You...you sure you're not hurt...at all?"

"Well...this is nothing compared from bitten to death by Kyoya..."

He started to move a little and removed the black cloth (I found out that it was his black cape). He kept it away and both of us sit up while looking around the unknown place we landed on. 

As it was too dark to see anything, Tsuna activated his Sky Flames with his ring (he took it out from my finger when we fell) to brighten up the area and it looked like we were in the cave tunnel.

"Since when there is a cave tunnel in this isolated village?" I asked curiously.

"I don't know. Could be a mining area?" the brunet answered.

"...Tsuna."

"Yes?"

"Why you are here all by yourself? You're planning to meet Iesada alone, right?"

"How did you know his name?"

"I read his diary and it belongs to him," I replied and I gave my cross look. "You better not avoiding my question."

"...I did not want to do this. I have to make sure that none of you would follow me so that I could meet Iesada in the Netherlands. Or else..."

"Or else what?"

"He will kill you right in front of my eyes."

"He...he will kill me?" 

"I thought I could try to catch him with my own hands and I don't want him to lay his finger on you," Tsuna sighed with his frustrated look. "Believe me, I'm not looking at you as a burden. I have to do that to protect you and everyone."

I was staring at him intently and I pinched his arm lightly with disapproval. 

"How about not leaving your Sky Ring behind next time? You are almost in a vulnerable position."

"I know. I do not want to hurt anyone with my Sky Ring."

"Even so, why are you putting it in my fingers?"

"That one..." he smiled and his cheeks turned a lighter shade of red. "...maybe I should not tell you first..."

"Why are you so secretive??" I grew annoyed.

"No, don't be angry," he said softly and gave a quick peck on my cheek. "I will tell you after we're done here. I promise."

"Fine, you better tell me after this," my face was turning red when he kissed my cheek and I sighed lightly. "What do you know about Iesada?"

"I came here according to the address he gave me. We talked and I could not believe how he went through. He was Naohime's son but she refused to tell him who was his father. He was locked up in the windmill and was isolated from everyone. He was also given lots of heavy medications to improve his health stability. He claimed that both of us did talk to each other using his mother's phone. She found out and he was brutally beaten as his punishment. Iesada could not take it and he snapped, killing everyone around him. Naohime was traumatised with the mass murder committed by her son and she escaped, later became insane ever since that day."

"Exactly what he wrote in his diary," I replied. "Why he wanted to destroy the Vongola?"

"Because he hates me," Tsuna answered.

"Iesada hates you? You didn't do anything wrong."

"I have something that he doesn't have in his life. I grew up with my loving parents but he grew up with his abusive mother. He was never loved and that explains why he said love does not exist."

"That does not mean he can make everyone to suffer with him," I stood up. "We need to find him fast before he does something bad."

"You're right. Let us find the way out of here and catch Iesada."

We took the risk by venturing deeper the cave tunnel. Tsuna was walking in front of me while I look from behind to watch for any possible ambush. 

We soon reached the automatic large steel door with a small opening. It was no longer functioning as the control system had been destroyed long ago. Both of us squeeze through the small opening and all we saw was an abandoned laboratory. Large tanks were filled with strange murky water and there was something inside, probably human skeletons. The desks were messy and lots of old papers were scattered around the floor along with unknown chemical bottles and substances.

Tsuna noticed a thick folder on the blood-stained bed and he went there to check it out. I stood beside him and I was also looking at it while he randomly read each of the observation papers. He stopped at a page that showed Iesada's medical condition. Our eyes were widened with shock when we read the experiment result.

**_Test Subject Name:_ ** _S-00 / Sawada Iesada_

**_Date of Birth:_ ** _4th April XXXX_

**_Type of Experiment:_ ** _Human Cloning_

**_Status:_ ** _After many failed attempts, the first human clone has been created and it is a great success. Test subject S-00 is perfectly healthy and more improvements to be made in terms of memory and emotion. For better precaution, S-00 will be given some heavy medications to strengthen the hormone and immune system. Regular checkups needed to see how long a human clone can survive_ _(a cloned animal was created and it had lived for 20 years)._

"Sh*t, this is so messed up..." I muttered with disbelief.

"Iesada is...a human clone?" Tsuna's voice tone was tremulous and he slammed his fist on the table. "No wonder he does not have a father! He was being created out of God's power!"

"But, a human clone? I mean, what could have possibly..." I was more confused. "This sounds more like creating a weapon to destroy the world."

"Let me guess, do you want to know more how I was created?"

Both of us flinched and we turned to look at the entrance of the laboratory. The hooded stranger was standing still and he slowly removed the hood from his head. 

A golden blond hair with his corrupted orange eyes and he was about the same age as Tsuna.

Sawada Iesada was with us in an abandoned laboratory. What was he going to do?


	45. Devil

"Nice to see both of you again, Vongola Decimo, Minoru Ayano." 

Sawada Iesada finally showed himself after he stepped into the abandoned laboratory. He removed the hood from his head to let us see his face and he easily looked so much like Vongola Primo. He discarded his jacket and he was seen wearing a dark blue polo neck jumper with long grey pants. His skin was quite pale and his body was fit and slender. 

He was more a human than a clone. His face was lack of emotion and expression. It was hard to tell if he was angry or sad because of his stoic look. As he took a few steps closer to us, Tsuna stood in front to defend me if in case I would be attacked by the human clone.

"You don't need to worry. I won't do anything for a while," Iesada spoke out.

"I would sew your mouth if I have the chance," Tsuna clenched his fists. "Who knows when you'll start singing your favourite song." 

"I thought you like it." 

"You're controlling me!" the brunet snapped. "I nearly killed Ayano because of you!"

"The same way Don Cavallone tried to kill you, Decimo."

"Didn't you hear what I say? Stop dragging everyone into your miserable life!"

I quickly placed both of my hands on his arm to calm him down. I was afraid that he might make Iesada angry though he hardly showed any emotions. Iesada remained quiet and he was not offended.

"Now you know the real reason why I don't have a father. You're right. I'm a human clone. This is what that woman had been wishing for and thus, had been granted."

"Your mother, Naohime..." I added.

"No, my surrogate mother," Iesada replied. "She was brought into the Sawada family after losing all her family members in an unexpected accident. Although Naohime was only Ietsuna's adoptive daughter, he loved her more than his son, Iemitsu. He and his son were not in good terms as he failed to realise that his adoptive daughter secretly dug out about the Vongola family history, something that he wanted to hide to protect his family's identity."

"So, Naohime knew everything about the Vongola?" Tsuna asked.

"True. She was madly in love with the Great Sky, Vongola Primo. Someone who was supposed to be dead many years ago. It broke her heart as she could not find someone as perfect as Primo. This resulted in her series of breaking up with other boys in her school. Even worse, she had developed some feelings for her adoptive father who happened to have similar looks and kindness like Primo."

"W-what the hell?? That's a gross imagination..." my eyebrow twitched with disgust.

"She knew it was a forbidden relationship despite that she's only Ietsuna's adoptive daughter. She never gave up her feelings and she wanted to have a child who will resemble someone she loved. She studied hard to become a biotechnologist and she did well. Until one day, she and her classmates were preparing to do a project for their final semester. She happened to learn about the cloning of a human and suggested it to her classmates. They soon agreed and they decided to keep the human cloning project a secret. As soon they knew the methods of creating a human clone, she needed to get something important for the project."

"Something important? You mean the DNA?" I guessed.

"Not just any DNA. It should be coming from someone who has the Vongola blood."

"She's not going to get it from Primo or dad anyway-" 

Tsuna stopped and his eyes slowly widened with horror. 

"S-she...she was the one who hurt my grandfather...just to get...his DNA??"

"No wonder Iemitsu-san says that his father refused to tell who was the culprit!" I gasped with shock too.

"That's true. By removing the main element in her cell and combining with his skin cell, it was a part of success. In the end, she volunteered herself to be my surrogate mother and nine months later, I was born as a human clone."

Iesada was done telling what we wanted to know. We were stunned to hear that a human clone was created because of a woman's terrible desire. She would do anything to achieve her perfect goal.

"You're the one who killed Naohime's friends, right?" Tsuna asked further and he began to get serious. "You're being mistreated and you finally snapped, killing all of them."

"By the time I woke up, they were already dead. That woman ran away and I simply watched her from far. It is unfair that I am the only one to suffer this pathetic life, so I want everyone to feel the same way as I am. And I will change how the Vongola should be."

Iesada pointed his finger at the brunet. His corrupted orange eyes could tell that he was serious.

"By destroying you, Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"Don't blame me for this. I'll stop you before you hurt more innocent people." 

Tsuna he activated his Sky Flames and the Sky Ring had transformed into his significant red gloves and he was ready to fight.

With my lenses' help, I could see their flames. Tsuna's Sky Flame was bright golden orange while Iesada's flame was a darker shade of orange. He did not have any weapons to fight against Tsuna. Was he going to use his bare hands instead?

As they started, both of them kept on kicking, punching and dodging each other in a very fast mode. Way too fast that I could not keep up with their moves. Tsuna knew that he was about to lose his stamina quickly if he continued to dodge. He tried to find the right moment to launch his attack against Iesada.

The other knew what he would do and he resumed giving out more blows to prevent the brunet from performing his attack. I decided to step in and Iesada was surprised that I joined the fight. I knew he was fast but I need to try blocking him to give some time for Tsuna.

"I've told you before, you can't defeat me," Iesada spoke out while attacking me.

"You think so??" I growled and I kept on giving more kicks. "Just because I was born without any dying will flame doesn't mean I'm just as useless as f*ck!"

"Why are you joining the mafia? A normal human like you should stay away from this dangerous world."

"Oh really? Since when you care about me? You should have run away from that place and get a new life, not creating more mess for everyone!"

"Don't talk like you understand my situation," Iesada's tone was getting dangerous.

"It's not that you don't have feelings and emotions! You keep compressing all of it within your heart!" I snapped.

"...shut up. I don't want to hear more..."

"To be honest, you don't want to hurt Tsuna, right?"

"...Shut up...stop it...don't say anything..."

Iesada's flames began to grow and burn fiercely around him. The flames behind him were formed like a peacock's feathers and started shooting out everywhere like a flamethrower. I had to hide somewhere to avoid getting hit by any of his deadly flames. Items around the laboratory were burning with rage and there was almost devilish red, melting while releasing out the awful burning smell I could remember.

It felt like we were in hell.

"It's called the Sky of Devil," Tsuna muttered beside me.

"Sky of Devil? Is that the name of his flame?" I asked.

"I've seen that name in his medical record and it was written if he could produce pure Sky Flames. As far as I know, this power was used to kill Naohime's classmates. As Iesada can't express his feelings in the right way, he compressed everything within himself and later releasing his unstable flames out of his will. These flames can instantly kill anyone with just a single touch to show his true rage."

"You're saying he's much worse than Xanxus and Vongola Secondo?"

"Combine Iesada, Xanxus and Secondo, this would be the end of the world."

"What are we going to do? We're here to stop him, right?"

"When I knew how dangerous Iesada was, I have always wanted to kill him for hurting people I cared. But, when I think again, both of us are hesitating to kill each other."

"Why is that so?"

"I was too young to remember my past. All I know that, he was the first person to say that I am not a Useless Tsuna."

"...really?"

"And I realise, Iesada has his right to live as normal as humans like us. He's just lonely and sad."

Tsuna stood up and peeked over at Iesada who was still releasing more of his flames. 

"I'm going to make him wake up. I want him to recall one of his important memory."

"How are you going to do that?? Clones can't store their memories and express their feelings."

"That is true but what if he wanted to? We won't know if we did not try," he turned to look at me. "Ayano, I need your favour. I want you to distract his attention as much as you can and make sure you don't get hit by his flames."

I nodded and I jumped out from my hiding spot. Iesada saw my movement and he directed all his flames at me. I tried my best to dodge all of his flames and when he failed to hit me, the intensity of his flames grew higher. 

He was preoccupied, trying to kill me and he failed to notice that Tsuna was launching his XX-Burner at him. He did turn around but it was too late for him to do anything.

Tsuna's Sky Flames did not destroy Iesada. He was using his flames to purify him.

More damages were done in the laboratory due to Tsuna's attack and I hid under the sturdy bloodied bed to avoid any large debris falling on my head. Iesada's deadly flames were wiped out and he collapsed onto the ground. Tsuna landed and walked towards him. Iesada was tired after he released all of his rage energy.

"Iesada, just stop it. There's no point killing everyone," the brunet spoke up. "Are you satisfied to watch people's death and suffering?"

"You can't change my mind," Iesada replied weakly. 

"Yes, I can. I'll keep on stopping you until you give up."

"You could have just killed me. I've done lots of damage in this world."

"I can't do that and neither you," Tsuna added. "Tell me then, Iesada. Who was the one taught you how to smile?"

"...I'm merely a clone and I don't show my expressions like how a human supposed to be."

"You can. I know you can smile. Someone did teach you how to do it. I do believe that it is one of your most important memory."

Iesada stared back at him blankly and I could see that he no longer hated Tsuna. Or any of his negativity from his eyes. He looked like an innocent child after Tsuna purified him. 

I was about to think that everything was over when someone behind me wrapped a thick rope around my neck and pulled me harshly. 

I screamed and I was choking, coughing out so loud. Tsuna and Iesada turned around and the brunet frowned to see my condition.

"Don't move, Tsunayoshi-kun."

A woman spoke near my ear and it was loud. She was pointing her pistol at my temple and gripping the rope tightly and I could not breathe properly. 

Iesada's look darkened to see that woman and Tsuna was angrier. He could not come over to save me. The woman chuckled darkly and she kept moving her pistol to every single spot on my head. 

"Tell me, Tsunayoshi-kun. Which part I should shoot? Her temple? Her brain? Or her neck?"

"I will never forgive you if you kill Ayano, Naohime."


	46. Smile

The rope around my neck only loosened a little as Naohime did not want to kill me instantly. She was using me to put give more pressure to Tsuna who was trying to convince Iesada to stop his heinous acts. 

With the thick rope around my neck and a pistol to my head, I could not risk getting killed. Tsuna was still standing near his clone cousin but I could see he was clenching his fists tightly, praying hard that I would be safe.

"How did you get here all by yourself? I thought you're in the asylum," asked Tsuna.

"Been hearing many things about me from your useless father, right~?" said Naohime with her honeyed tone. "Yes, I was in the asylum for a long time but it was a part of my plan. I was pretending as a mentally ill patient while I was waiting for a perfect time to show the world what creation I had created."

"You wanted to show the world that you've created a human clone? Isn't that supposed to be illegal?" asked the brunet darkly.

"Illegal? If they can allow an animal clone, why not a human??" she scoffed with annoyance. "I want to make a better alternative for those who have an infertility problem. Don't you see how Iesada looks like? He is perfect. A perfect human I have created and they are going to regret banning this experiment."

"You could have just used someone else's DNA for your stupid experiment! Why must you involve the Vongola and Tsuna's family member?!" 

I shouted with rage and I was being silenced with a harsh pull of the rope at my neck.

"You must understand why I do this, my dear~" Naohime smirked. "I did this for love. I was in love with a perfect man who no longer existed in the world. None of the men was as perfect as him. I wanted to live and have a child with him. Yes, I did hurt my adoptive father but it was his fault for inheriting the good looks from the man I love and. He only took me in because he pitied me."

"How could you say something like that about my grandfather? Don't you feel grateful at all??" Tsuna growled with anger.

"Grateful? He doesn't even love me!" Naohime glared at the brunet. "Yeah, that b*st*rd brother of mine and my father often argue each other but he only sees me as a pitiful stranger who needs shelter. He didn't even call by my name. Even after Iemitsu became Vongola Nono's guard dog, Ietsuna still cared about his son and had been wishing that he could see him again. He doesn't even care about my achievement as a biotechnologist. This is why I rather went overseas to pursue my studies and my dream project."

Naohime gave a dry laugh before she continued to talk.

"I've been treating Iesada like my own son. He inherited most of his father's looks and I wished that he could be the one to lead the Vongola Famiglia. The Ninth had lost all his three sons and his adoptive son was not eligible to be the next boss. When I heard that you are the one who will take over the Vongola, I could not accept that sickening news. I will never want Iemitsu's son to lead the family that truly belongs to my only son. So, I had been telling him that he must do whatever it takes to destroy Sawada Tsunayoshi and he will get his father's treasure."

"Iesada did mention that he hated me and he wanted to destroy the Vongola. He did not want to do this. You are the one wanted him to do so," Tsuna's voice was tremulous.

"That's right. I want to thank everyone for fulfilling my dream. I taught Iesada to kill all the bad people. Starting from those idiotic young campers who trespass Isoleren. I do not want any witness before the birth of my human clone. And then, to my classmates. They were pretty helpful but I am not going to share the credit with them. I purposely act like an insane woman who escaped from Isoleren and waiting for the perfect timing."

"How did you even manage to escape from the asylum??" I asked with my hoarse tone.

"With the help of Iemitsu's student. He sent someone else to get more information from me. A young man named Basil with his other friend named Tumeric. I told him everything while stealing the pistol from his friend's pocket. I shot Basil and I used his friend as my hostage, forced the guards to let us escape. I knocked him down at the airport where Pyotr Morozov was waiting to fetch me to the Netherlands."

"Why Pyotr Morozov is with you??" the brunet asked.

"Iesada and Pyotr had the same goal. Both of them wanted to destroy the Vongola. So he helped him to hide from the Vindice and in return, Pyotr must help me to continue with my plan. Everything went well when Iesada saw Pyotr talking to a woman in the motel and he tried to reveal my plan to her. No one should know about my plan. Iesada immediately controlled his mind and used him to kill that woman."

"Pyotr is...Arianna's killer?? But, why...?" my voice was shaking.

"I think I'm done telling my story." 

Naohime pulled me closer with the rope around my neck and the pistol at my head. 

"Iesada, you have been a good boy. Why don't you take this chance to kill Tsunayoshi-kun? Your wish to be the new boss of Vongola will be granted~"

Tsuna and I were looking at Iesada who was still lying on the ground. He remained silent for a while and his answer earned a surprised look from both of us.

"...I don't want..." Iesada muttered tiredly.

"Excuse me? What did you say?" Naohime gave her twitching smile.

"...I don't want to be the new boss..."

"...Iesada, you dare to disobey me? You know that you cannot disobey your mother's words. It's a great sin."

"...I have my rights to decide how I live...just because I'm the cl-"

"NO! YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE HOW YOU LIVE! I AM THE ONLY ONE DECIDE YOUR LIFE!" Naohime shrieked with rage. I flinched with shock when she suddenly yelled at the top of her lungs. "NOW DO IT! KILL HIM AND COME BACK HOME WITH ME!!"

"...I am not going to kill my cousin. I do not want to go home with someone who fails to perform her duty as a mother. I am a clone who is unable to store memories in my head but my body remembers the pain you put on them. Did you say disobeying your words is a great sin? I have done worse than that. Someone like me should not exist in the first place. You are willing to break the law of nature because you want to challenge God's power."

Naohime was staring blankly at Iesada and she began to laugh like a madwoman. Laughing while crying with deep despair, as if she had failed to pass her final exams in her college. 

She threw me off harshly on the ground and took a few steps away from us. Tsuna quickly came to me and he saw the red-purplish rope mark on my neck. He took off his necktie and wrapped around my neck to ease the pain I had to endure.

Iesada slowly stood up and he was looking at his surrogate mother who was calling someone through her phone. Her wicked smile grew wider when she started to talk on her phone.

"Pyotr Morozov, you may start to detonate this horrid place. I'm done here, don't ask any questions."

"Naohime, what are you doing?" Tsuna asked.

"What am I doing~?" she repeated with her singing tone. "I'll have the three of you to die and burn in hell~"

"You're killing your own son?!" I snapped despite my hoarse tone. "You f*cking b*tch! You're the one should be roasted in hell!"

"Keep saying whatever you want and I will create more clones!" Naohime cackled. "I'll make sure that they WILL listen to what I say, unlike that ungrateful human clone-!"

Something pierced straight to her heart and she stopped talking. 

Tsuna and I froze with shock when we saw a large javelin spear coated with darker orange flames stabbed through her chest. The flames started to burn from her chest and to her whole body. She was screaming with pain and the brunet buried my face in his chest to prevent me from watching her horrible death. He glanced and he saw Iesada's dark orange flames surrounding him.

Iesada was snapped and he had killed his surrogate mother out of his will. Once the screaming slowly fading, indicate her death, Iesada was back to his self-consciousness and he realised about his sudden act.

"I...I did it again...right?"

"It is never your fault, Iesada," Tsuna replied. "You don't deserve to be treated like that-"

The other shook his head hard and refusing to accept the fact that he had done the right thing. He did not want to kill more people. He felt danger was coming and he turned to look at us.

"Leave this place now. Pyotr Morozov is going to detonate this whole secret base."

"I know, and you are coming with us," the brunet spoke.

"No, I can't go anywhere."

"What do you mean? Why you don't want to run with us?" I asked weakly.

"You heard what I said. I...I was not supposed to exist-"

"Iesada! Don't even think of killing yourself here!" Tsuna yelled at him. "We know that you've taken many people's lives but it's not your fault!"

"...Rokudo Mukuro was the Estraneo's test subject and he killed all the members of the Estraneo Famiglia. It's not his fault since he had suffered a lot, and yet, the Vindice still arresting him for his crime. Even if I can leave this place, I will be taken away too. If anyone knows that I am a human clone, you can imagine what others will do to me. They will create more human clones..."

Iesada looked at his hands and his corrupted orange eyes were telling us that he was crying in his own heart.

"I have no choice. I have to destroy everything that woman had done. Her thesis, project work, experiments and her important drafts...including me. Telling everyone that I am the first human clone ever created? That's not going to happen-"

"Why are you doing this?" the brunet said with his pained look. "I've started to consider you as my family and yet...you want to leave me??"

"We are a family from the beginning, Tsunayoshi. If you are in my place, would you do the same as I am right now? I'm doing this for everyone's sake."

The laboratory was shaking as if there was an earthquake. Pyotr Morozov had started to detonate the bombs he planted and we would not make it in time to escape. Iesada would not budge and he refused to follow us. 

Tsuna had given his final thoughts. He lifted me and had my arms wrapped around his neck before he started to ignite his Sky Flames from his red gloves. He used his flames as his thrust so that he was able to fly out from the laboratory. 

Only about two metres away, the laboratory was exploded and the flames were burning fiercely. 

Both Tsuna and I were looking to see Iesada for one last time. Our last look at him was worth it.

We could finally see him smiling warmly with tears flowing out from his orange eyes.

Tsuna was the one who taught him how to smile.

* * *

_** Extra ** _

"Damn it! Why is she not answering my calls??" 

Pyotr Morozov was trying his best to reach Naohime. He was done detonating the whole laboratory along with the large windmill. 

"Maybe she's trapped, unable to escape from that lab," he smirked. "Fear not, I have something in my hands. I will tell the whole world. I will tell them about the human clone and all the heinous crime that the woman had done. That way, I will be forgiven. People will start to support me, and I will continue to pursue my dream to take over the mafia world!"

He skipped away and was about to leave when he was being surrounded by the Vongola guardians, Don Cavallone and his subordinates. He froze with shock and he was leaning against the windmill's wall.

The Storm Vongola was giving his murderous stare and he wanted to crush his skull with his own hands.

"Pyotr Morozov. Where is Don Vongola and Segretario Minoru?" the silver-haired asked coldly.

"Oh, you're looking for them?" Pyotr sneered though he was shivering. "Maybe they are struggling to leave the old laboratory. Too bad, I've detonated that place. You should prepare a funeral for both of them if I were you."

"The one who needs a funeral is you," the Rain Vongola glared at him with a sword at his hand. "Tell us where are they now!"

"There's no point telling you because I can't do anything to dig out their dead bodies!" the Russian man laughed darkly. "I bet Iesada already killed both of them!"

"You...you b*st*rd!" Lambo shrieked and Ryohei had to hold him back. "I'll never forgive you!"

"Enough of this crap!" Dino snapped and was about to whip Pyotr with rage. "Tell us now or this will be the last thing you'll ever see!"

"Then kill me! I have finally paid my revenge towards these two people who destroyed my dreams to conquer the mafia world!"

"Well, you asked for it."

Hibari gave strong blows across Pyotr's face with his steel tonfas and kicked his leg before he harshly stepped on his chest with his irritated look. The other almost out of breath and coughed out blood. Gokudera had to shout at the Cloud Vongola to stop and rather let the Vindice arrest the wanted criminal.

"Where the hell have you been? We're expecting you to help us looking for the Tenth and Minoru!"

"I know where they are. That is why I am here to tell you about the location."

Hibari took out his phone and showed it to everyone. There was a missed call from Minoru Ayano and along with her text message she sent to him.

_[Text]: Tsuna and I are safe. We are now at the river, further east in Isoleren._


	47. Grief

No one knew about the existence of the first human clone named Sawada Iesada. Everything about him and the research was destroyed in the burning large windmill and the hidden laboratory. 

We knew about the human clone but we had to keep it as a secret from the public. 

Pyotr Morozov, on the other hand, had his memory erased and became Iesada's scapegoat. The news had spread and he was responsible for the mass suicide that happened in some missionary schools. The Vindice had sentenced him to a lifetime prison for his mafia crimes and he would be placed in a deeper depth of the prison where he would not be able to see any light. Bermuda said that his prison was worse than Mukuro last stayed in. 

"Sawada Iesada will be punished for his crime but he had done the right thing by destroying all of the human clone research including himself. It will be more trouble to see lots of identical wanted criminals roaming around the world," Bermuda explained.

"...Is there no other way to spare his own life other than killing himself?" Tsuna asked with his low tone.

"You should know better, Sawada Tsunayoshi. Iesada does not exist. He was created by someone who wanted to challenge God's power. Even if he is allowed to stay alive, he won't last long. Clones have a shorter lifespan and they do not have permanent memories. Just like living as an empty shell, waiting for the right time to break or rot."

Tsuna was unable to accept Iesada's death and he was taking his time to cope with it. 

Even as a human clone, Iesada was still a family to him. 

His guardians knew what he had gone through and they tried to cheer him up. Some of them knew the feeling of losing a family member. Yamamoto lost his mother in the plane crash and Gokudera's mother died due to illness she had suffered. Even Dino lost his mother when he was young. 

I lost my father years ago.

I placed some documents on Tsuna's desk and I looked at the brunet who was still staring at Iesada's diary. I gave it to him after we escaped from the laboratory.

"If only I could help him, he would not have to suffer..." he muttered.

"Tsuna, I don't think Iesada wants to see you like this."

"Ayano, I appreciate your concern but this is something I could not accept."

"Are you even listening to Bermuda? Iesada was not meant to exist because he was not a real human-"

"He's my family, get that??" Tsuna snapped. "You said that because he's just a clone. He wanted to live like any other normal human!"

"Wait, I would never think anything bad about him. I do feel that he doesn't deserve all that treatments he got from his surrogate mother."

"Somehow, you don't seem to understand how does it feel to lose a very important family member."

I went silent. He did not say anything for first. I slowly broke the silence.

"I lost my father, Tsuna."

"I know."

"I know how my father died."

"I know. It's horrible."

"Pyotr Morozov killed my father. When he could not find the evidence he was hiding, he stabbed and chopped my father's dead body repeatedly."

"...I know. You don't have to tell me-"

"Days after Arianna told me and my mother about my father's death, there was a bloody package delivered in front of the house. My mother screamed with shock and she did not want to open it. I did open the bloody package. Do you know what is inside?"

Tsuna grew uncomfortable. My voice was shaking when I talked.

"...I don't know. You don't need to tell-"

"A piece of the bloody arm being sliced into pieces. Along with this note."

I took out a piece of bloodied card from my wallet and I showed it to Tsuna.

_**This is your father's arm. I hope you like it.** _

_**From: P.M.** _

"A...Ayano, I didn't know that-"

"You dare to tell that I don't understand how does it feel to lose a very important family member!!" I shouted and I slammed the card on his desk. "I was the only one remember this sh*t and this had been haunting me for years until now!!"

"Wait, Ayano-"

I stormed out from his study room and I went into my room, shutting the door behind me.

I sat on the bed and I let out a loud, frustrated sigh. I let the tears rolled from my eyes to my cheeks. 

I had sleepless nights ever since that incident. I had to make a police report before my mother and I moved to an apartment. As long as my mother was fine, I would suffer the nightmare alone. 

I thought I was able to forget it. Until Arianna came and she wanted me to finish my father's mission. 

I wanted to kill Pyotr Morozov badly. Even if I did, my father would not come back again.

* * *

It was late evening and I only ate some fruits as my dinner. I was walking in the garden and I saw Gokudera feeding his cat, Uri. He knew I was coming and I sat beside him on the bench. Uri was done eating its food and it was nuzzling on my leg. I smiled and I gently touched its neck.

"Are you alright?"

"...why would you ask me that question?"

"I heard you and the Tenth arguing from the study room."

"Oh. You heard what I said to him?"

"I understand that the Tenth could not accept Sawada Iesada's death. However, I disagree with what he had said to you."

"...Gokudera?"

"Yes?"

"This is the first time I hear you disagree with your boss. No offence. It's rare for you to say that."

"Really?" the silver-haired laughed a little. "If you were with us ten years ago, you will know that this is not the first time I disagree with him."

"Is that so? But he's your-"

"He saved my life, even when I tried to kill him when we were middle schoolers. If it wasn't because of him, I wouldn't be here."

Uri was looking at the butterfly and it was chasing it around the garden as we watched. 

"The Tenth didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Minoru. He knows his mistake."

"...I know. And I shouldn't have shouted at him while he was coping with Iesada's death."

I turned to look at Gokudera and my sadness seemed to fade a little.

"Gokudera, can you tell me more about your mother? If you're not comfortable, I understand."

"...She is the kindest woman I've met. If I knew she was my mother when we first met, I would want to spend more time with her."

"She also wanted the same way as you said. But, fate sometimes can be cruel. At least she's happy to see you spending some time with your family and friends."

"Who the hell needs a sister who often feeds you with poison cooking?" Gokudera grunted.

"That's because she loves you," I laughed. "Some people have siblings but they don't have much affection towards each other due to selfishness. She is a scary woman but she's kind. I wished that she's my older sister."

"You will regret it if she's your sister. I nearly died after eating her poisoned cookies when I was young."

"I'm not going to regret it," I smiled and I stood up. "Thank you for talking to me, Gokudera. I feel much better for now."

"[Name].

"Yes?"

"Your father is proud to have a courageous daughter. I do believe that he also wanted to spend more time with you and your mother. He regretted leaving both of you and letting you carry the burden." 

"...that idiot father of mine. He should regret not being able to taste my cooking."

"What?"

I turned to look at Gokudera and I simply smiled. 

"Nothing. And thanks again, Hayato."

* * *

I was standing in front of the study room for minutes while I was trying to figure out to say sorry for shouting at Tsuna.

It was an apology for shouting at my boss- or my boyfriend. I shook my head several times before taking a deep breath and I held out my hand to touch the doorknob.

The door was swung open much to my surprise and Tsuna nearly bumped onto me. 

We were looking at each other and it was an awkward moment between us. We did not talk for another few minutes and after the long silence, the brunet started to talk. 

"I...I was about to look for you, Ayano. It's my fault for not considering your feelings. I snapped it out without thinking. After you told me about your father, I...I felt terrible."

"Uh, well...me too. I mean, you are still sad about Iesada's death and yet, I..." I sighed. "I snapped and I went on rambling nonsense in sudden-"

"Ayano, if you didn't tell me more about what Pyotr Morozov had done to you, I will never know how much you have suffered mentally."

"I...I tried to forget it ever since that day. I rather suffer that nightmare alone as long as my mother can sleep well-"

"Are you forgetting about me?"

Tsuna grabbed my hands and he held it tightly, frowning at me. 

"I won't allow you to suffer alone, [Name]. I made a word to you that I will never let anyone harm you."

"...Tsuna, you are not angry at me...even after I shouted at you?"

"It's my fault from the beginning. If you didn't shout at me earlier, I would have continued to mourn for Iesada. He doesn't want me to see me like this. I'm sorry, [Name]."

"...I wanted to say sorry to you too, Tsuna. I still think that it's wrong for me to shout at someone who was grieving for someone."

"So, are you going to forgive me?"

"Well..." I gave a small childish pout while crossing my arms. "Maybe you will need to prove that you are sincere."

"Oh, is that so?" he laughed a little before his lips curved into a smirk. "In that case, you will also need to prove that you sincerely apologise to me."

"W-what?" I felt a sudden chill in my heart when I noticed his smirk. "W-what do you mean by that?"

"Since I don't have any work to do today, how about we spend some time...together?"

Before I could reply, he took my hand and he dragged me to his room. He pushed me inside his room and he locked the door, much to my shock. He was still smirking at me as his hand touched his necktie and loosening it in a slower motion while exposing his neck.

I gulped and my face was getting redder. I quickly looked away while walking away from him without knowing that the bed was behind me.

"T-Tsuna, I...I know we don't have time together because...because we're busy..." I stuttered. "But, h-how are we supposed to prove that we..."

"Didn't you say that you want me to prove that I am sincere?" he slowly walked towards me. "No running away, [Name]. I know you like it."

"Huh?! What do you mean I like it-!"

I stopped talking as I lost my balance, falling onto the bed. His smirk grew wider and before I could escape, he pinned my hand on the bed and had his knee placed between my legs. I stared back at him with horror since I knew that he was about to tease me.

"What's wrong? Are you scared?" Tsuna asked and his eyes were telling me that he was enjoying it.

"...y-you know what?" I said nervously. "I-I have something important to do, so...can we forget about what we've said earlier?"

His face went near my ear and I shivered when I could feel his breath. 

"...I'm afraid it's too late, [Name]."

Tsuna used his free hand to loosen my necktie and slowly unbuttoning two buttons from my dress shirt. I gasped with shock as I was unexpecting that to happen. My mind went insane because of his actions.

He lightly laughed and whispered seductively in my ear. 

"I'm going to do it slowly until you enjoy every single thing I give to you."

* * *

_"[Name]..."_

I felt sleepy and I heard a gentle voice calling out for me. I was about to ignore it when the voice once again called my name. 

_"[Name], wake up now. I have something to tell you."_

I groaned a little as I slowly sat up, rubbing my tired eyes. I was sleeping in my bedroom and I saw my mother standing beside me. She was wearing a beautiful kimono and she was holding her favourite purse-

Wait, I was still in Italy. Why was I in the apartment in sudden??

"...m-mother...where am I? And why are you wearing the kimono? I thought you are still in the hospital."

"Oh, the doctor said that I am allowed to leave. I wanted to call you to fetch me home but you are tired. So I called my friend to fetch me."

She smiled warmly to me.

"Guess what, [Name]? Your father is coming home and I'm going out to see him."

"Father's coming home?? But he...isn't he..."

"[Name], you have been working hard and you need to get more rest," she touched my head softly. "When the time comes, you can come and join us."

"...mother?"

She turned around and she opened the door to leave my bedroom. 

My heart froze with fear. What was happening here? 

I woke up and my hands were shivering. I found myself sleeping in Tsuna's room and I looked around. The brunet moved a little and when he saw my pale face, he quickly sat up and he touched my shoulder. 

"[Name]? Are you alright?"

"...my mother. I...I saw her in my dream..."

"Your mother? What happened to her?"

I was about to reply when my phone was ringing. I took it out and I saw a phone number from Japan.

I had a bad feeling. I answered the call and I tried to calm down as much as I could.

"H-hello, Minoru Ayano is speaking..."

_"Ayano! You need to return to Japan right now!"_

"...Iemitsu-san, what's happening?"

_"Just come home and you'll know why. Hurry!"_


	48. Blessing

After I graduated from high school, I went to do some part-time jobs and it was also the time my mother started to fall ill. I failed to notice the changes that befell her since I was too busy with my work. 

When I saw my mother getting skinnier day by day, I took her to see a doctor and only to find out that she had been suffering from cancer. 

The black tumour nearly reached the last stage and all she needed was a chemotherapy treatment to kill off all the cancer cells. I had been working extra hard to pay for her medical bills and I wanted to make sure that she could live longer so that she could see her future son-in-law and her future grandchildren.

However, Iemitsu's emergency call had proven to me that fate could be a little cruel.

I could not book a flight back to Japan with the closest time I could get, so Tsuna asked for Don Cavallone's help to bring me back to my hometown with his private plane. The brunet followed along while telling Gokudera to handle his work for temporary.

Dino and his few subordinates remained silent as they knew that I was worried about my mother's condition. Tsuna gripped my hand tightly and he was trying his best to calm me down.

"Your mother's going to be fine."

"...n-no, she's not fine. I knew that one day she will go, but...this is too sudden..."

"Don't lose hope, Ayano," Dino spoke out and he was worried as well. "Maybe she's still waiting for you."

"...I-I don't know if I could make it in time, I..."

My throat hurt a lot and I knew that I was about to cry. I would remind myself that I had to be strong if one day I would lose my mother. 

I thought I would not cry since humans would die someday. 

I grew weaker. It felt like someone snatched my mother away from my grasp. 

I did not bother to sleep after long hours of flying and right after we reached the airport in Japan, I thanked Dino and others before I ran off with Tsuna. 

I blinked for a moment when I saw Hibari's right-hand man, Kusakabe waiting in the car. The brunet mentioned that Kusakabe would fetch us straight to the hospital after the other received a call from the Cloud guardian. We climbed in and it only took a few minutes to reach the hospital.

I continued running and I saw Iemitsu standing outside the ward with his grim look. He did look at me and he opened the door for me to enter. 

As I went inside, there were doctors and nurses busy assisting my mother. 

She saw me, and she was smiling at me. When I was about to hold her hand, she closed both of her eyes. 

Her eyes will never open again. 

I burst out crying. The doctor announced her death with regret.

"Time of death, [random time and date]. I'm sorry, Miss [Last Name]. We've tried our best."

* * *

I collapsed in the hospital after witnessing my mother's passing. I slept for long hours and my body went a little numb. 

I slowly opened my eyes and I was in a bedroom. Not mine but someone else's bedroom.

There was a wooden desk beside the bed I slept on, a small television, a wardrobe and a small hammock hanging from the ceiling. I could see a photo of Tsuna and his friends in their middle school uniform and I realised that I was sleeping in his bedroom.

The door was open and Nana-san came in with a bowl of porridge. She was smiling at me and she placed the porridge on the desk.

"Good afternoon, [Name]," she greeted me. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Good afternoon, Nana-san..." I greeted and I rubbed my dried, swollen eyes. "Not really. I felt...terrible."

"Well, you look pretty bad when Tsu-kun carried you home after you collapsed in the hospital," she touched my forehead gently. "I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's passing. I was shocked to hear the news from my husband. Tsu-kun was worried and he did not want to sleep because he was waiting for you to wake up. I had to scold him before he finally went to sleep."

"W-where's...Tsuna?"

"He's sleeping in the living room. I wanted to prepare a bed for you in the guest room but he did not want to trouble me in the late night. So he let you rest in his bedroom." 

Nana took the chair nearby the desk and she sat while looking at me with her concerned look. 

"You worked hard to pay your mother's medical bill. What are you going to do next, [Name]?" 

"...I'll have a funeral for my mother. I need to let my other relatives know about my mother's passing. I'll be moving out from my apartment and...I'll continue to work to support myself."

"You have other relatives?"

"Only my mother's family. My father was the only child in his family. My relatives did not bother to keep in touch with her ever since she got married to my father. They said he was dangerous and they were afraid that he might abuse my mother. She refuses to believe them, so they pretended that they don't have her as a family member. They also looked down on us because we were poor. They were the reason why I worked hard to support my mother."

"[Name], your mother is lucky to have a thoughtful daughter like you."

"...Nana-san."

"Yes?"

"...I know this sounds strange but...can I hug you?"

She smiled and she nodded her head with her arms wide open.

"Of course you can, [Name]."

I did not hesitate further and I went to hug her tightly. I could not control my sadness as I cried again. Nana-san would not budge as she embraced me like a loving mother.

Tsuna was right. Nana-san was as nice as my mother.

She told me lots of things about my mother as she and her husband had been taking care of her while I was in Italy. I had to admit that there were better than my other relatives who only cared about money over their family member.

I thought I was completely alone after my parents died.

* * *

After the funeral, I returned to my apartment and I spent most of my time cleaning and throwing away the rubbish. I was planning to sell some of the things I no longer needed in my apartment leave the furniture behind for one of my relatives who went bankrupt and they needed a place to stay.

The only thing I could do for them was to let them stay in my apartment. I would be finding another place to stay.

I did hear a door knock but I did not bother to open it. The door was opened as I heard footsteps coming inside my apartment.

"[Name], please don't go anywhere without telling me," Tsuna said with his worried tone.

"...sorry..." I muttered while putting all the photo frames inside the box. He went to sit beside me before he asked me.

"You're moving out?"

"...yeah. One of my relatives had just gone bankrupt and they needed a place to stay. So I told them that they can rent this apartment after I'm moving out from here."

"Where are you going to stay?"

"...I don't know. Anywhere but not here. This place feels empty without my mother around. I just can't..."

I covered my face with my hands and I was sobbing quietly. No matter what I was trying to do, I was still crying and mourning for my mother.

The dream where I saw her leaving me to see my father was the thing I could not forget.

Tsuna gently pulled me into a loving hug and he was trying to make me feel that I was not alone. He was making sure that I was never alone despite losing both of my parents. 

"Stay with me, [Name]."

"...stay...with you??"

"Yes, you are never alone, [Name]. You still have me, my parents and our friends. We are always with you," Tsuna smiled and stroking my hair softly. "You are welcome to stay with me and with my parents. Or more like, they love the idea of having a daughter-in-law staying with them."

"W-wait, what?" I blinked with my confused look. "Daughter-in-law? What does that mean?"

"You're trying to pretend you don't know anything, right?" the brunet gave a small smirk and he kissed on my forehead. "We've been together for quite a long time and I think it's time for us to think about marriage."

"M-marriage?? At the time like this-"

"No, of course not now," he lightly pinched my nose. "I talked to your mother the day we return to Japan for a holiday. I told her everything about you when you are working with me in Italy. I also sincerely told your mother that I wish to spend the rest of my life with you and I will honour, respect and cherish you. She understood and she had always wanted to see you happy."

"T...that means..."

"Your mother blessed the proposal marriage, [Name]. She believes that I can give you the perfect happiness you've ever wanted. What do you think?"

I was surprised when I learnt that my mother allowed Tsuna to marry me. Her blessing was the last gift for both of us before she left to see my father.

"Do you remember asking why I put my Sky ring in your finger?" the brunet asked.

"Y-yeah. Now I've been wondering about that too. So, you're going to tell me?"

"Yes. I did it because I wanted to propose to you. I was afraid that I might never have a chance to do it if anything bad happens to me."

"D-damn it, stop saying as if you're going to die!" I hit his chest with annoyance. "You wanted to propose to me that night before you went to Isoleren?"

"I-I did..." Tsuna's cheeks turned red. "But I did not want to wake you up since you might stop me from going there."

"Oh, I would do that. You told me that I should tell you where I was going, so you should do the same to me."

"Alright, I get it," he grinned. "I'm going to do this in the right way, [Name]."

"Wait, first of all..."

I took out some of the photo frames from the box and I found a picture of my parents. I placed it on the table before Tsuna and I stood up from the couch.

Tsuna knelt on one knee and he took out a small box from his pocket. He held it out and opened the small box, revealing the gold ring with some words engraved in it.

_**Together, forever ; Tsuna & [Name]** _

I gasped lightly when I read it and I could not help crying with joy. Tsuna was smiling widely when he saw my joyous reaction. 

"Will you marry me and be my wife, [Full Name]?"

"...y-yes, I will."

The brunet was happy to hear my answer and he went on to place the ring in my finger. I could not stop smiling and I hugged him tightly. He hugged back and we kissed each other until we heard loud applause from outside the apartment.

We quickly turned and we saw Gokudera, Yamamoto, Lambo, Ryohei and Dino cheering loudly for both of us. Chrome and Mukuro were clapping to congratulate both of us. Even Haru, Kyoko, I-Pin, Fuuta and Bianchi were around to witness the marriage proposal. 

"Tenth, you did it!"

"Well done, Tsuna!"

"Sawada! You've finally become a true man!!"

"Quit yelling, turf-head!" 

"Congratulations to both of you!!"

"We've been waiting for both of you to get married!" Haru squealed with joy.

"Tsu-kun, [Name], congratulations!"

My face was as red as tomatoes but I was happy to see everyone cheering for both of us. Tsuna did smile and his cheeks were red too. He thanked all of his friends for supporting him. 

My mother wanted to see me happy instead of mourning for her death. She and my father were watching me getting married to someone I truly loved.

"Thank you so much, mother. And thank you, father."

* * *

"You're going away, Miss [Last Name]?" the landlady asked.

"Yes, I'm moving out," I smiled and I gave my apartment keys to her. "I did pay all the rents while I'm working overseas, right?"

"Oh, yes you did. You didn't even miss a day," the landlady smiled. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother. I haven't seen her around ever since she was admitted to the hospital."

"It's fine. I'm happy that you did care for my mother."

"Don't say that. I see both of you were struggling to live when you first came here. You worked hard for the sake of your mother," the landlady sighed. "It's strange that I would say I'll miss you."

"No worries. When I'm free, I'll drop by to visit you," I chuckled and I grasped her hand gently. "Thanks for everything, madam. Will you pass this apartment key to someone named [Relative Name]? They are desperate to find a new place to stay."

"Yes, I will. I hope that they are not as troublesome as those who don't pay their rents in time."

"Don't worry, madam. They will pay the rent in time. The bankruptcy did teach them a bitter lesson they would not forget."

The moment I walked away, she called out for my name and asked me a question.

"Miss [Last Name], I've heard that you're going to marry someone. Is it true?"

I smiled.

"Yes. I'll marry someone I love the most."


	49. Together (Final Chapter)

"Chika, can I not wearing skirts or gowns?"

"Not a chance, [Name]. You don't wear pants during the most important day in your life."

"But I hate it!"

"Then learn to change your taste. See, you even keep longer hair than usual. So why not giving yourself a chance to be the prettiest woman in the world?"

I groaned and she simply smiled while taking some measurements from my body. 

Chika had become the world's famous fashion designer ever since the day I helped her receive the recognition that she deserved. She volunteered to design my wedding dresses after I invited her to my wedding ceremony. I reminded her to do the simplest design because I did not want to clash with any royal princesses or queens for wearing prettier dresses than any of them.

"Your chest is small but you have a slim body. That should be perfect for the gowns you're about to wear."

"Ugh, that means I have to expose some parts of my body??"

"Not entirely," Chika laughed with amusement. "Only Hollywood celebrities would do that to gain popularity. You know how their dresses look like."

"Is it just the same?"

"[Name], wedding ceremony only happens once in your life. You are going to marry someone you love the most and you will be wearing a wedding dress. A dress that will make your husband remember that he is marrying his most beautiful wife. Do you want him to think of that?"

I was staring at her and I could feel my cheeks turned bright red. I could imagine Tsuna was looking at me with the dress I was wearing and his warm smile appeared on his lips. I quickly shook my head with embarrassment and I heard Chika giggled at me.

"I can imagine that scene before the wedding day...so embarrassing..."

"What? You should be happy."

We heard the door knock and I permitted to enter the room. Dino came in and he was giving his friendly smile at me and Chika. She later excused herself to work on her designs as she left both of us alone.

"Well, Ayano, congratulations on your wedding," he greeted.

"Um, thanks, Dino," I smiled back to him and I felt a little nervous.

"What's with that look? You should be happy about a special day in your life."

"I-I know, I'm just nervous because...I'm going to marry someone."

Don Cavallone took a seat beside me and pinched my nose lightly. I blinked and I quickly shot a curious look at him before he ruffled my hair.

"There's nothing to be nervous about. You're marrying with someone you love, and technically you're going to be my sister-in-law. I am glad that Tsuna is marrying the right person, and the right person I am talking about is you, Ayano."

"Me? Why is that so?"

"To him, you're perfect. Now don't look at your physical appearance and that scar on your eye. It is you, yourself whom he fell in love with. You are strong and brave. You care for your family and friends. You can survive in the mafia world. And most importantly, you understand him better than before."

"Is that enough to prove that Tsuna loves me?"

"You should have known that. When we first met, I don't trust you because I'm worried that Tsuna would choose the wrong person to work for him. Right after I've ambushed you, I was expecting that he would come over to my headquarters and tell me not to mess with his secretary. But instead, you told him that you would be the one to deal with me because you said that it was our problem. You've proven to me that you would not betray Tsuna and the Vongola. Probably the reason why I started to have feelings for you."

"Dino, I-"

"It doesn't matter for now," he clapped my shoulder lightly. "As long as both of you are happy with each other, I will be feeling glad."

I smiled back to him and I gave a tight hug to him. I was grateful to have an understanding friend like Dino. We were enemies once and we became close friends. 

I later found out that he was going to be Tsuna's best man and he was coming over to discuss the wedding plans with others in the guest room. 

Tsuna and I already made lots of arrangement and we decided to have two wedding ceremonies in different countries. One in Japan and one in Italy. 

It was not a wise move to reveal our real name in the mafia world. For our wedding ceremony in Italy, everything needs to be in order because almost all the mafia families will be attending to see the future Donna Vongola.

The wedding ceremony in Japan was our safest option as we wanted our family and friends to see both of us marrying each other. 

* * *

I had a night of proper sleep and I was in preparation for the wedding day. Kyoko, Haru, Chrome, Bianchi and I-Pin were busy helping Chika to fix the dress and they were helping me to wear the wedding dress. I felt lighter as I wore it and Chika explained that I would look uncomfortable wearing a heavy gown while walking down the aisle. She also picked suitable high heeled shoes for me to wear and it was lucky that I had been practising to walk with those shoes.

I knew why women sometimes took a long time to prepare themselves. They need to fix their hair, putting makeups on, picking the right attire and asking someone for their opinion and then picking the right shoes to wear and the list went on.

I sucked at using makeups or whatever a woman should look attractive, so Kyoko and Haru had been the one who helped me everything including adding some wigs on my hair to match the veil I was about to wear. 

We were almost finished when I suddenly gave a sad look on my face.

"[Name], why are you so sad?" asked I-Pin with worry.

"N-nothing, it's just..." I sighed. "Usually a parent, either a father or mother will escort the bride, but...they were no longer around."

"Oh, your parents..." she had a concerned look on her face. "I'm sorry about your mother. You're saying that no one will escort you?"

"I guess so. It means that I might be walking down the aisle all by myself-"

"There's no need for that, Miss [Last Name]."

A man's voice was heard at the door and I quickly turned around. My eyes widened with surprise to see a Russian man standing at there with his plump wife and his daughter. I could not help smiling at them and it had been so long time I had never seen them.

"Mr and Mrs Golovanov...Anya-san..."

" _Privet_ (Hi)!" Anya greeted happily and she came to me, grasping my hands gently. " _Moi pozdravleniya_ (Congratulations)! I can't believe you're getting married before I do."

"Thanks! You should find someone to marry soon," I laughed at her.

"Nah, I haven't found anyone," Anya giggled. "Your soon-to-be husband is the one who invited all of us to your wedding day. At the same time, he wanted us to give you a little help."

"A little help for me? What are you going to do?" I asked confusedly.

"He did come over to our house with someone named Basil," Mr Golovanov explained. "He was giving us a wedding invitation card and thus, politely asking our help to represent your late parents."

"That gentleman explained that we were the ones who last talked to your father and he figured out that my husband can escort you down the aisle," Mrs Golovanov replied. 

"Oh..." I was almost speechless as ever and I nearly cried (I could not cry or I would damage the makeups on my face). "I-I can't believe Tsuna would...would know what I'm thinking."

"Because he knows what you want, [Name]," Kyoko smiled.

I thanked the Golovanov family for their great help and I hug them at the same time. I felt like they were a part of my family as they were the ones who talked to my father. 

After hours of preparation, we were on the way to the church and I saw many guests standing outside the church. Tsuna's best men, Dino and Kozato Enma invited the guests to sit as they soon taking their respective seats in the church. I was still sitting inside the large car, waiting for the time for me to appear in front of everyone. 

The ceremony soon started with Mrs Golovanov walking down the aisle to mark the starting of the event. Once she reached the end of the aisle, she took a seat at the left of the front row. The groomsmen (all of them were Tsuna's guardians) walked down one by one until the best men and the groom joined them.

As soon as the officiant walked inside the church, the bridesmaids (Kyoko, Haru, Chrome, I-Pin, Anya and Adelheid) came out from their car. I was rather apprehensive and I was afraid that I would mess up everything. Bianchi placed both of her hands onto my shoulders and she had been trying to help me calm down. That was her job as the maid of honour, making sure that I was in perfect condition before I walked down the aisle. 

Once she made sure that the flower girls and the ring bearers behaved well, Mr Golovanov came to my side and soon escorting me to the aisle right after the bridesmaids went inside the church.

I was walking quite slowly not because I would trip but I was half-scared. The guests were looking at me and I grew nervous. Mr Golovanov lightly patted on my arm and I was feeling better. I was looking in front and I saw Tsuna standing there waiting for me. 

He was wearing a black tuxedo with a black suit vest that matched his grey bowtie. Chika also designed for him and he looked perfect with the attire he was wearing.

I could hear some excited whispers from the female guests who could not take their eyes off from Tsuna but most of them were admiring the dress I was wearing.

When I was at the end of the aisle, Mr Golovanov turned to look at me and he nodded his head, telling me that he gave his blessing before he did the same thing to Tsuna. Once he took his seat with his wife, Tsuna and I were looking at each other and we could not stop smiling. 

The officiant went on to give the opening speech at the ceremony until he started with the wedding declaration from both of us.

**  
"Will you, Sawada Tsunayoshi, cherish [Full Name] as your lawful wedded wife, protecting her, and tending to her needs through illness and disappointment?"

"...I will," the brunet answered.

"Will you strive to understand her, giving her comfort when she seeks it from you? Will you try never to say in anger that which you wouldn't say in friendship? And when each night comes, will you go to sleep with thanks for her presence at your side and a renewed love for her in your heart?"

"...I will," he gave his answer. 

The officiant then turned to look at me.

"Will you, [Full Name], cherish Sawada Tsunayoshi as your lawful wedded husband, protecting him, and tending to his needs through illness and disappointment?"

"...I will," I answered.

"Will you strive to understand him, giving him comfort when he seeks it from you? Will you try never to say in anger that which you wouldn't say in friendship? And when each night comes, will you go to sleep with thanks for his presence at your side and a renewed love for his in your heart?"

"...I will," I gave my answer as well.

The officiant told us to exchange our wedding rings and lastly, he allowed the groom to kiss the bride after pronouncing both of us as husband and wife. Tsuna gently removed the veil and we could not help laughing with happiness and we soon shared our first kiss as a married couple.

The guests and our friends were clapping and cheering, congratulating both of us. I remember that this was something we would never forget. 

I first came to Tsuna's life as his secretary and I was here as his beloved wife after all the hard times we face.


	50. epilogue

_"...hello? Hello, who's there?"_

He was making a video call through phone and he saw a brown-haired boy about his age from the phone screen.

 _"Hello? Who are you?_ "

"...I'm...Sawada Iesada."

_"Sawada? Hey, you have the same surname as mine. I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi."_

"...Tsunayoshi?"

_"Yes. That's my name. Why are you calling my father's phone? Are you looking for my father?"_

"You...have a father?"

_"Yes, I have."_

"...How does your father...looks like, Tsunayoshi?"

_"Uh, my father...he has yellow short hair, and he is tall and muscular. Oh, he's really strong!"_

"...Strong?"

_"Yes! You see, my father can lift a big rock with only one hand!"_

The brown-haired boy quickly opened his arms wide to show the size of the boulder.

_"The rock is so big and so heavy! My father can carry it with one hand!"_

"...Your father is so strong, Tsunayoshi."

_"He is. Oh, he also helps the penguins to cross the road in the land of ice!"_

"...Penguins? What are penguins?"

_"Uh, the walking birds who live in a very cold place. They can swim and they can slide on the ice."_

"I...I want to see the penguins."

_"Really? I can tell my father to bring you there to see them! Where do you live?"_

"I live in a windmill."

_"Windmill? What's that?"_

"It's a house with a giant fan on it."

_"Wow! I want to see your house, Iesada!_

"..."

_"Iesada, why are you so sad?"_

"Sad?"

_"You don't look happy. Did someone make you cry?"_

"Happy? Cry?"

_"Don't be sad, Iesada. Try to smile."_

"Smile?"

_"Yes, like this!"_

The boy's lips curved into a smile.

"...How did you do that, Tsunayoshi?"

_"Uh, I don't know. When I cry, my mother will make some silly faces to make me smile."_

"...I don't know how to smile."

_"Well, uh...try this, Iesada. Put one finger at the side of your mouth, and another one finger at another side of your mouth."_

"...like this?"

_"Yes, and then push your fingers above your cheeks."_

"...like this?"

_"Yes! You're smiling, Iesada! You are not sad now!"_

"...Tsunayoshi?"

_"Yes?"_

"How do you feel sad?"

_"Uh, well...when people call me Useless Tsuna, I will feel sad. I have this nickname because I cannot do something right."_

"...you are not useless, Tsunayoshi."

_"Huh?"_

"...You teach me how to smile. I want to thank you for that."

_"Really??"_

"...yes."

_"I am happy to hear that, Iesada! Thank you!"_

"...Tsuna-"

"Iesada!! What the hell are you doing?!!"

The woman's high-pitched scream immediately woke him up in sudden. 

He was dreaming. It was his first time dreaming as he slept. 

He slowly looked around and he saw himself lying on a large pile of debris. He kept staring above him as he tried to recall why he was in the abandoned ruins. 

He met Sawada Tsunayoshi and his secretary in the laboratory. They talked and they fought each other. Red flames were everywhere and the brunet launched a powerful Sky flame to defeat him. His surrogate mother appeared and forced him to kill Don Vongola. He refused and he killed her. Someone was detonating the whole laboratory to destroy the three of them. He did not want to leave and he rather let himself explode and burn along with all the research papers-

He blinked both of his eyes repeatedly. His eyes were wet. Did he just cry? Why he could remember the recent events? Why he could remember a boy named Tsunayoshi? 

Why he could smile? 

His thoughts snapped when he felt something hostile coming to the laboratory. 

Did he just felt it?

Black flames appeared in the laboratory and a few numbers of heavily bandaged Vindice guards arrived at the same time. 

He could feel the intense energy coming from them and he was not sure what he should do next.

Why he was not dead yet?

"Sawada Iesada. We know you are still alive. Surrender yourself or we will use force."

The voice from them was deep and threatening. It was pointless to escape as they were quick to catch him. 

He only had a little strength and he used it to stand up from a pile of debris. He could not stand still and he sometimes felt like he was about to fall. 

He was in a mess. His clothes and his pants were dusty and torn in a few parts. Cuts were everywhere and some were still bleeding. 

The Vindice guards unleashed their chains and cuffs in a speed of light to physically restrain him. He winced in pain and he felt like he was suffocating when his neck was being cuffed. 

"You are an interesting creation, Sawada Iesada."

He heard a childlike voice. He looked up and he saw an infant-sized Vindice guard sitting on the shoulder of the messy, long-haired Vindice guard. There was a clear pacifier hung around the infant's neck. 

"Feeling in pain? Our chains and cuffs can seal your powers to avoid any necessary movements made by the prisoners."

"...are you...an Arcobaleno?"

"Ho, so you know about the Arcobaleno? Or more than just the Arcobaleno?"

"...only a little."

"I see."

The long-haired Vindice guard pulled the chain forward with unbelievable strength. Iesada's face was so close that he could see the guard's zombie-like eye. Even his nose could pick an unpleasant scent from the guard. 

"Do not harm him, Jaeger."

"Bermuda, is it wise to keep him alive?" the long-haired guard named Jaeger asked with curiosity. "His flames are pretty destructive as what we had witnessed during his fight against Sawada Tsunayoshi."

The Arcobaleno guard named Bermuda von Veckenschtein was observing Iesada for a long time before he spoke. 

"A human clone has a shorter lifespan and they do not have permanent memories. However, he exceeds my expectations."

"Exceeds your expectations?" said Jaeger.

"Sawada Iesada is more than just a human clone. This is just the beginning and he is yet to unleash his true ability."

"...why you did not want to kill me?"

"You have a strong desire, Sawada Iesada. You want to live like a normal human, didn't you?"

"...It was my strong desire before I choose to die, rather than being used by the wrong hands." 

"You and Sawada Tsunayoshi are alike."

"...alike?"

"All I can say that it is too early for you to leave the world. For now, you will stay in the underground prison for the rest of your life."

"...does Tsunayoshi knows that I survived from the explosion?"

"He and to those who know your existence still believe that you are dead after the explosion."

"...please don't let him know."

"I don't usually listen to any criminals' requests. But, we will not let him know."

"Good. Take me away. I will not do anything."


	51. Sequel: Donna

She never trusts anyone, especially men. Without her father's presence, she has been protecting her mother for many years and she is willing to give up her chance to pursue her studies in college. Part-time jobs are not enough to cover her mother's medical bill and she decided to work as Vongola Decimo's secretary. Her only price to pay is that she is not allowed to see her mother or any of her family members and acquaintances. 

She is also given an alias name; Minoru Ayano.

Now, she is married to Sawada Tsunayoshi, making her as the official Donna Vongola. Her current role is proven to be much tougher than being Tsuna's secretary but she is not going to give up. 

_Who am I to Tsuna? I am not just his wife. I am someone who will do anything to protect him, to keep him sane and to keep him in comfort._


End file.
